Yesterday, the MA House of Representatives passed a supplemental budget of $425 million that will fund the family Emergency Assistance shelter system through this fiscal year (June 30, 2025) and also included additional significant restrictions through at least Fiscal Year 2026, including:
- capping the length of stay at 6 months, down from the recently enacted 9 month limit
- eliminating “presumptive eligibility” for most families
- capping the total number of families in shelter at any one time at 4,000 (down from 7,500)
There were a number of amendments debated, some adopted and some changed. You can see the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless’ breakdown here.
The Senate will be taking up its Supplemental Budget shortly. Please contact your State Senator (find their contact info here) to urge them to reverse these decisions and protect the right to shelter (and safety!) for children.
