For more than forty years, Massachusetts has demonstrated a commitment to protecting the health and well-being of families and children through its “right to shelter” law. This law acknowledges the harm of housing instability, the need for policies that protect the basic needs of families, and the role of our government in ensuring all its residents have a safe place to sleep.
The recent influx of migrants fleeing poverty, political instability, and violence has increased the pre-existing need for sustainable resources to shelter and support families living in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, lack of political will at the federal level to address both the country’s affordable housing crisis and our broken immigration system has left state systems overwhelmed.
On August 1st, faced with capacity and financial constraints, the Healey-Driscoll Administration implemented changes to the state’s Emergency Assistance (EA) shelter system that will force families to choose between five nights of immediate, temporary housing and waiting at least 6 months to access EA shelter unless they have a qualifying circumstance. This change will disproportionately affect immigrant families, both new arrivals and long-term Massachusetts residents, and leave many children and families awaiting placement with no safe place to sleep. As experts on pediatric health and development, Children’s HealthWatch opposes in the strongest terms the changes to EA shelter.
The evidence of the connection between housing and health is clear. Our research shows that families experiencing unstable housing are more likely to experience adverse child and caregiver health, be hospitalized, and experience other material hardships. Homelessness is a danger to child health.
While we appreciate the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s efforts to support new arrivals through new welcome centers and extensive case management, we urge them to restore the right to shelter and uphold the Commonwealth’s legacy of housing our most vulnerable residents.