The Massachusetts shelter system will fill by the tip of the month, based on the governor, and after that the Bay State will be unable to offer housing for households in want as required by regulation.
On Monday, Gov. Maura Healey held a press convention on the State House the place she introduced that the tens of hundreds presently dwelling in state offered housing could also be among the many final the Commonwealth can afford to shelter. Without intervention by the Biden Administration, Healey stated, the system will be unable to assist any additional.
“For months now, we have been expanding shelter capacity at an unsustainable rate to meet rising demand. Despite the heroic work of public officials, shelter providers and the National Guard, we have reached a point where we can no longer safely or responsibly expand,” Healey stated.
According to the governor, as of October 16 there are 7,000 households — 23,000 people, she stated, half of whom are youngsters — utilizing the state shelter system. Massachusetts is alone among the many 50 states in guaranteeing girls with youngsters and households entry to shelter by regulation.
That “right to shelter” provision has run up in opposition to a migrant inflow the state was by no means ready to deal with by itself, Healey stated. The state shouldn’t be, she burdened, casting off the appropriate to shelter regulation, however after the tip of the month households in want of shelter might have to attend for house to free.
In gentle of the migrant disaster slowly constructing within the Bay State, Healey introduced on Monday she would appoint retired Lt. Gen. Scott Rice because the Emergency Assistance Director. Rice beforehand served because the Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard.
“General Rice has extensive experience leading large scale emergency management operations, and we are confident he is the right person to lead us through this new phase of the emergency shelter system,” Healy stated.
Healey additionally introduced that the administration will join migrants in shelters with job coaching by means of a partnership with Commonwealth Corporation Foundation whereas they watch for work authorization.
When requested if her message ought to function a warning to migrants that Massachusetts is full, the governor stated that, on the very least, shelter is not going to be offered to anybody who arrives.
“It’s certainly a communication that we are reaching capacity and therefore don’t expect to be able to house people the way we’ve been able to house people in the existing infrastructure,” she stated.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”