Healey Changes Emergency Shelter Amid Crisis

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced significant changes to the state's emergency shelter system, prioritizing families facing no-fault evictions, natural disasters, or containing veterans, while capping stays at overflow sites to five days. Due to financial and capacity constraints, the state will not open additional respite centers, and families in temporary shelters must wait at least six months for placement in long-term shelters. The changes, effective August 1, respond to an unsustainable surge in demand exacerbated by a housing crisis and an influx of migrants. Critics note this marks a departure from the state's longstanding right-to-shelter law, which guaranteed shelter access with fewer restrictions. Healey emphasized the necessity of these measures to preserve the system's viability, despite the ongoing humanitarian challenges.