Advocates rally at Massachusetts State House to protest Gov. Healey's proposed shelter changes
BOSTON - A few dozen advocates who work with homeless people and migrant families in Massachusetts gathered on the State House steps Thursday to protest Gov. Maura Healey's proposed plans for the state's shelter system.
Proposed shelter changes
On Wednesday, following pushback from GOP members of Legislature, Healey announced changes that would require all shelter applicants to prove their residency status, would increase background checks, and more.
The group that gathered at the State House Thursday believes the proposed changes would leave children out on Massachusetts' streets.
"Our hope was that with an incoming presidential administration change, that [Gov. Healey] would be helping Massachusetts to stand up against the worst things that are going to happen, and it kind of seems like she's just going with this anti-immigrant sentiment," said Willa Bandler, an advocate who helps house homeless people in the state.
Shelter system capacity
The state's shelter system had a capacity of 7,500, according to the Healey administration. As of Thursday, about 6,640 families were in the system - including both Emergency Assistance shelters and temporary respite centers. About half of those people are long-term Massachusetts residents and the other half are newly arrived migrants, a spokesperson for the governor said.
However, 65% of people applying for housing in the EA shelters are long-term Massachusetts residents, she said. The advocates outside the State House echoed this point - that it's a misconception to think migrants are dominating space in our shelters, they said.
"The true shelter crisis begins and ends with housing," one protest organizer said. "There's no solution to the shelter crisis until we address the housing crisis."
