While it’s been out of the local news recently (either on purpose or due to the national election), I feel it’s important to remind the taxpayers of the state that Massachusetts is still hosting (as of October 7th) +/- 7,325 families in our emergency shelter system (of which it has been reported that 3,639 of those families entered as migrants, refugees, or asylum seekers). Keep in mind, this does not include the others who are currently housed in the numerous overflow shelters or on the waiting list of which that is another +/-250 families.
And the cost of this program; well in fiscal year of 2024 that total was $857M, and so far in FY 2025 (which began in July 2024), that total is already $130M and is projected to finish FY25 at just over $1B (yes a B). Keep in mind, these numbers above do NOT account for other costs related to this program. These costs include but are not limited to emergency aid payments to school districts, municipal room occupancy tax reimbursements, and other payments to shelter providers.
We have remained at this continued record level due to the continued influx of migrants arriving in our state to take advantage of this generous program (which let us not forget was never established for this issue but was originally established to assist residents of our state).
And while the Governor and our elected officials hoped that the news of their 30 day stay limit would calm the masses (which it did to some who were not informed on its details)…this 30 day limit was actually just on the overflow locations and NOT on the longer term emergency shelter system which houses the 7,500 families.
The current rules on the allowed duration of stay in the emergency shelter system is 9 months. However, the rules also allow for 2 – 90 day extensions which can be exercised upon meeting one of the MANY easy to qualify for extension criteria listed in the law …oh, and then lets not forget that the law also then allows for a hardship waiver beyond those two extensions.
This is NOT sustainable, we cannot continue to spend over $1B a year on this program without 1) actual reforms to who is eligible / realistic stay timelines, 2) reforms and new oversight as to how these funds are being spent, and 3) during that legislative work, significant reimbursement from the federal level to compensate us for these costs.
We, the residents of Massachusetts are generous and welcoming people, but even that generosity has limits when we as a state (and especially municipalities) are facing our own significant financial issues. We cannot allow the taxpayers of this state to pick up the mess handed to us by the inaction of our federal government and poor border security.
Our Governor (who is clearly jockeying for a post at the federal level) and elected officials are choosing, right now as you read this, to bury their heads in the sand on this and their silence is deafening. They hope that the news cycle moves on, and this becomes the “new norm”. We cannot allow that to happen.
So keep this in mind as you go to cast your vote in this upcoming election. Did the individual who has presided over this mess, who has made no effort to keep his constituents in the loop on what HE is doing to help fix this crisis, and who has never advocated publicly for additional support for his district in relation to the costs it has incurred…has that person EARNED your vote?
Or are you willing to give your support to an individual who won’t stay silent in the face of challenges and is ready to shine the spotlight (using the platform I will have as a State Rep) on the difficult questions surrounding our emergency shelter system and its impact on taxpayers. I will not back down from the political hot potatoes that others shy away from. Instead, I’ll publicly demand accountability from my colleagues and push our federal delegation to actually bring some funds home to Mass.
Your vote for me is a chance to support someone who will actually make noise, and thereby force some action…as politicians can’t hide when you keep their missteps in the public eye.
LINK TO BI-WEEKLY STATE REPORT: