Massachusetts is poised to spend close to $1 billion on “emergency shelters” in fiscal year 2025 to combat an uptick in migrants coming to the state on top of rising housing costs.
The official word comes from Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey’s administration, which released a report that details spending for the coming year, including the $915,000,000 projected price tag for emergency housing, according to the state’s secretaries of finance and housing, The Boston Herald reported.
The figure takes into account the cost of providing shelter, as well as “associated services, staffing, intake sites, clinical and safety risk assessment sites, school district reimbursements, immigration and refugee health, community, and workforce supports, and municipal supports,” according to the report. (RELATED: Massachusetts Gov. Seeks To Allocate $28,000,000 To Implement Policy Allowing Illegal Immigrants To Get Driver’s Licenses)
The Healey administration expects it will need to spend $915 million on emergency assistance shelters in Massachusetts in fiscal year 2025, according to a report executive officials prepared for the Legislature’s two budget writing committees. https://t.co/Up2FlH7wKM
— Boston Herald (@bostonherald) December 19, 2023
At present, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts maintains an emergency shelter system that has a threshold of 7,500 families, which has long been maxed out and is expected to run $224,000,000 over budget for FY2024, the outlet noted. (RELATED: ‘State Of Emergency’: Dem Gov. Maura Healey Calls On National Guard Over Migrant Crisis)
Emergency housing waitlist continues to grow in Massachusetts https://t.co/WATqeiuLqc
— WWLP-22News (@WWLP22News) December 14, 2023
The Herald attributed the crisis to the influx of migrants as well as “[c]rushing housing costs in the greater Boston area and across Massachusetts.” (RELATED: ‘Chaos? Not The Answer’: Joe Scarborough Blasts States For Fumbling On Illegal Migrant Crisis)
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren threw her weight behind Gov. Maura Healey’s housing plan on Monday morning, and said the federal government will need to step up to help the state address its housing affordability and availability crisis. https://t.co/uoxB3HqlM3
— Boston Herald (@bostonherald) December 19, 2023
A separate report by the Herald noted that Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has suggested that the federal government will need to step in to help address the housing crisis in the Commonwealth.