Arlington Youth Call on Governor to Protect the Right to Shelter

Arlington, MA — As children and families continue to sleep in unsafe places despite being eligible for the state’s family shelter program, Unitarian Universalist Mass Action (UU Mass Action), the UU Youth Corps, and many other organizations and individuals gathered this past Sunday at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Arlington to demand action. The group of 60 called upon Governor Healey to repeal punitive new shelter rules, including a 5-day limit in overflow shelter, a 6-month ban on shelter for families who stay in an overflow shelter, and a 9-month limit on stays in Emergency Assistance (EA) shelter.

“Governor Healey needs to protect the right to shelter and repeal the new shelter policy. The policy is cruel, unjust and affects people in her town. Many youth from her town like me urge her to restore the right to shelter and put Massachusetts on the forefront of the shelter initiative,” said Lauren McNeill, an Arlington youth who spoke out on Sunday.

On July 23rd, Governor Healey announced drastic changes to the Emergency Assistance (EA) family shelter system that has forced children and their families - including infants and pregnant people - to sleep in train stations, sidewalks, and other unsafe places, even after they have been found to be eligible for EA shelter. This comes just as families are being notified they will be forced out of EA shelter due to the new length of stay policy, even if they have no place to go.

“For over 40 years Massachusetts has been committed to protecting babies, children, and families from having to sleep on the streets. We must not abandon that promise now. We need lawmakers to protect the EA shelter system and make real investments in truly affordable housing,” said Rev. Jo Murphy, Director of UU Mass Action.

The action, held on Sunday October 27 from 6:00–7:00 p.m. in the Governor’s home town of Arlington, brought together faith leaders, local youth activists, and community members to amplify the need for shelter solutions to prevent family homelessness across the state.
The faith-led gathering underscored the moral imperative for elected officials to take bold steps toward resolving the crisis, highlighting the need for safe, accessible housing. Through prayers, speeches, and testimonies, attendees called on Governor Healey to lead with empathy and commitment to ensure families have stable, secure shelter options.

Contact: Rev Jo Murphy (Unitarian Universalist MA Action), 508-789-4866

jmurphy@uumassaction.org