Tens of thousands of people desperate for a warm place to sleep at night are living in Massachusetts shelters. And for the first time in the state’s history, families are being placed on waitlists as the emergency shelter system recently hit its maximum capacity.
Lawmakers are describing the situation as a “humanitarian crisis.” A failure to reach a deal on $250 million appropriation to bolster the shelter system last week at the close of formal session puts additional support for the shelter system in further doubt as Gov. Maura Healey has described the funding as necessary to keep the shelters running.
Amid the crisis, however, some Massachusetts lawmakers see a potential glimmer of hope for a path forward: the state’s depleted workforce could soon see a boost of thousands of workers once migrants receive their work authorization from the federal government.
