New 'Recertification' Rule For Thousands Of Families In MA Emergency Shelters

MASSACHUSETTS — People living in temporary emergency shelters in Massachusetts will face new requirements to keep their shelter beds starting in May, a new effort by state officials to open up beds in the at-capacity emergency shelter system.

In a news release Monday, Gov. Maura Healey said shelter residents starting May 1 will have to "demonstrate action" toward either securing work or permanent housing to continue staying in shelter sites. The Healey administration is calling the new requirement a "recertification process" for shelter residents.

"During this recertification process, they will be evaluated on whether they have participated in state-provided services to help them move toward independence, including applying for a work authorization, participating in a workforce training program, submitting job applications, taking English classes, and engaging in a search for housing. Families will be permitted to remain at sites as long as they continue to engage these services and activities," a state news release said.

There are an estimated 7,500 families encompassing some 20,000 people in shelters across the state, with many staying in hotel rooms. The shelter system is costing the state about $75 million per month after exploding in size over the last year. Massachusetts is the only state with a law on the books guaranteeing shelter for families with children and pregnant people.

The push to move shelter residents to permanent housing has hit external barriers, including a statewide housing affordability crisis, a housing shortage and strict federal regulations preventing migrants from working legally. The Department of Homeland Security has held workshops for migrants in emergency shelters to help them get authorized to work.

"We have said for months now that our system is at capacity, and we do not have the space, providers or funding to continue expanding," Emergency Assistance Director General Scott Rice said in a news release. "This new certification policy is a responsible step to address the capacity constraints at our safety-net sites. Families will need to demonstrate that they’ve taken action to get on a path toward independence and out of shelter."

Late in 2023, the Healey administration capped the number of beds in the emergency shelter system, but also opened up a waiting list for new families to get shelter beds. There were about 200 families on that waiting list as of this week.

The Healey administration also said Monday a new 100-bed shelter would open at the former

Chelsea Soldiers’ Home. State officials did not say when that facility would open.