New MA 5-Days Shelter Limit Begins, But 30-Day Stays Still Possible

MASSACHUSETTS — Gov. Maura Healey's tough new limits on overflow shelter stays went into effect Thursday, limiting stays to five days for many homeless and migrant families.

The new policy — one of the toughest in the U.S. — has come under fire by state and local lawmakers since it was revealed in late July. On Wednesday, the state's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities eased the policy slightly, telling shelter leaders they could extend stays up to a month if necessary, according to reports.

The five-day limit applies to so-called "respite centers" in Chelsea, Lexington and Cambridge and at the former state prison in Norfolk. Those sites are a waypoint for people attempting to enter the state's family shelter system, and before Thursday, hosted people for up to 30 days. Families who stay at respite centers will be required to wait six months before placement in the emergency family shelter system.

The state is also introducing a new prioritization for eligibility to enter the family shelter system. Families who are homeless due to a no-fault eviction, a disaster, or have at least one family member who is a veteran will get top priority, alongside families with medical needs, newborns and victims of domestic violence.

The Healey administration said the change was made to unburden the state's family shelter system.

"Massachusetts is out of shelter space, and we simply cannot afford the current size of this system. Our administration has taken significant action over the past year to make the system more sustainable and help families leave shelter for stable housing. But with Congress continuing to fail to act on immigration reform, we need to make more changes," Healey said in a July 23 news release announcing the new policy.

The emergency family shelter caseload reached historic levels in recent months, partially due to migrants arriving in the state. There have been more than 7,000 families in the system since September 2023, according to state documents, but the shelter system has been capped at 7,500 since November. The length of shelter stays, however, has dropped, with an average stay of 365 days in 2024 so far compared to 455 days in 2021.

State officials looked to other places in the U.S. for guidance on developing the respite center limits. On the high end, Chicago and New York City offer 60-day stays for families, while Denver has reduced its limit from three weeks to just 72 hours.

People who reach the five-day respite center limit will be directed to the state's re-ticketing program, which flies them back to where they originated, or to a destination where they have family. Respite center visitors will also be directed toward homeBASE, a state housing subsidy for people who would otherwise qualify for a spot in a family shelter.

But those who don't qualify for homeBASE and don't use the re-ticketing program may end up living on the streets, worsening the state's homelessness problem. The Boston Globe this week detailed situations where families with young children are sleeping in alleys, outside hospitals and in subways stations. As part of a crackdown on new arrivals, the state has also stopped allowing families to sleep at Logan Airport.

Worcester city councilors Etel Haxhiaj and Thu Nguyen issued a joint statement this week on the policy change, highlighting that it will follow the U.S. Supreme Court Johnson v Grant Pass ruling, which allows cities and towns to outlaw public camping even if no shelter space is locally available.

"It is extremely exhausting to witness the heartbreaking and cruel ways in which our government and officials treat our unhoused community members," the statement said. "[Healey's] more drastic caps on emergency shelters and welcoming centers, limiting access to the most vulnerable families with children, further erodes the right to shelter."

Some lawmakers want Healey to at least continue allowing longer shelter stays through the end of 2024.

“This humane approach will prevent more families from sleeping on the streets, reduce costs for municipalities and human service professionals,” state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Sudbury, said in a letter to Healey.