Gov. Maura Healey filed a $2.1 billion gross spending bill Wednesday that closes out the books on fiscal year 2023 and includes $250 million for the state’s emergency shelter system, which officials say is in crisis mode after an influx of migrants and surging housing costs.
Healey proposed transferring the $250 million in “one-time resources” for shelters from an transitional escrow account to “cover the ongoing cost of providing safe, temporary shelter to thousands of families in need,” the governor said in a statement. Healey, the governor, said in a statement that the state was spending about $45,000,000 a month on shelters.
Families with children, pregnant women and newly arrived migrants who are homeless can receive emergency assistance. To expand the shelter capacity, the administration has turned towards a number of hotels and motels in various municipalities throughout the state.
Healey called on the federal government for funding but said “the growing demand for shelter continues to put pressure on the system’s capacity to meet the needs of families seeking assistance, as well as municipalities that have welcomed students to their…
