Healey signs shelter funding bill that limits lengths of stay

Gov. Maura Healey on Tuesday signed into law a new nine-month limit on how long families can live in Massachusetts emergency shelters, and stamped her approval on the Legislature's plan to pull up to $426 million from a savings account to pour into the ongoing migrant housing crisis.

Numerous exemptions will be available to families that bump up against the nine-month cap, under the law crafted by top Senate and House Democrats.

Two additional 90-day stays will be available to those who are employed, participating in an approved training program, or meet protected criteria such as: "seeking to avoid educational interruptions for a child or children enrolled in public schools," those who are pregnant or recently gave birth, people with a diagnosed disability or "documented medical condition," those to whom domestic violence poses "imminent risk of harm," or veterans not already enrolled in "services specifically tailored to veterans."

After imposing her own limits on how long families can remain in overflow shelters, Healey had remained vague on what she thought of legislative proposals to limit a family's length of stay in the main emergency assistance shelter system.

The governor was noncommittal when asked in March whether nine months was too long or too short for a time limit, saying, "It could be. Again, I want to look at the whole package of what came out and talk some more with my team. But certainly we've talked about limits in the past."

The new law steers another $251 million toward the beleaguered shelter system to cover costs through June 30. Current appropriations for the system, which were fortified in December, were set to run out "early this spring," possibly "as soon as this month," Administration and Finance spokesman Matt Murphy said earlier in April.

For fiscal 2025, which starts July 1, the Healey administration can pull $175 million more from the same savings account, known as the Transitional Escrow Fund, on top of whatever funding is included in the general budget.

Next fiscal year's transfer would be triggered if Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz issues a "written determination ... that funds are necessary to support the emergency housing assistance program."

Including Tuesday's infusion, fiscal 2024 appropriations for the emergency assistance shelter system now total around $826 million.