Massachusetts has secured more than $20 million in federal funding to support the state’s overburdened emergency family shelter system, Governor Maura Healey’s office announced Wednesday afternoon.
Healey’s office said the money – the largest amount Massachusetts has received to date from FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program – was provided after the administration submitted a request to the city of Boston in June.
“Massachusetts is in desperate need of federal assistance as we work to meet the unprecedented demand on our family shelter system created by the increase in the number of immigrant families arriving in our state,” Healey said in a statement. “The Biden-Harris administration has taken important steps to address this federal problem in the face of congressional inaction, and they are seeing results as the number of illegal border crossings has dropped significantly. But more needs to be done. Congress must step up and pass the bipartisan border security agreement.”
The majority of the grants will go to the state, which will invest the money in emergency accommodation. Families are now only allowed to stay in these for a maximum of five days. This controversial change under the Healey government has sparked criticism from anti-homeless groups and immigration activists.
Boston will receive about $1.3 million of the prize money, Healey’s office said.
Due to the sharp increase in demand from families resident in Massachusetts and immigrants arriving from other countries, state spending on family housing totals nearly one billion dollars a year.
