Amid rising costs and increasing demand for emergency shelter services, a state commission in Massachusetts is recommending extensive strategies to cut expenses by reducing the state’s reliance on high-cost accommodations, particularly hotels, for housing migrant families and others experiencing homelessness. According to a recent draft report by the commission, the emergency shelter system is projected to spend over $1 billion in fiscal year 2025—a substantial increase that has prompted urgent financial reviews and proposed reforms.
Massachusetts, which does identify itself as a sanctuary state, and limits its cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, has faced intensifying financial challenges due to a recent influx of migrants. State legislators are grappling with escalating costs that stem from providing emergency accommodations for these families, alongside the broader issue of rising homelessness, reports the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Currently, the state’s emergency shelter system, which has seen a huge uptick in demand, includes both migrant families and local residents in need of temporary housing. With nearly half of these families staying in hotels and motels, the financial burden has grown unsustainable.
Reports have shown that housing families in hotels and motels can reach costs as high as $300 per night, making them the most expensive form of shelter. The commission’s report emphasized, “Data suggests that hotels and motels are the most expensive type of shelter in the EA system.” The system reached full capacity with 7,500 families last year, and the commission warns that continued reliance on hotels will only further strain resources.
The commission’s draft report recommends scaling back on hotel usage to curb expenses, suggesting that hotel and motel accommodations should be reserved only for periods of rapid demand increase. “The Commission recommends limiting reliance on hotels and motels to best serve families and increase the financial and operational efficiency of the system,” the report stated. It also acknowledged that while hotel accommodations may sometimes be necessary, they should be viewed as a last-resort option rather than a long-term solution.
The Center for Immigration Studies estimate that approximately 355,000 illegal and inadmissible migrants currently reside in the state. Since 2021, roughly 50,000 of them have entered Massachusetts, contributing to growing pressure on housing and social services.
In response, Governor Maura Healey has taken steps to manage the situation, including encouraging migrants to seek other destinations, providing plane tickets to those willing to relocate, and appealing to Massachusetts residents to open their homes to migrant families. While maintaining her stance against federal deportation efforts, Healey has been vocal in her opposition to the immigration enforcement policies anticipated from the incoming presidential administration of Donald Trump. Healey confirmed that Massachusetts law enforcement agencies would not participate in mass deportation efforts, underscoring the state’s sanctuary status.
Despite the state legislature’s allocation of $639 million to the emergency assistance shelter system for FY 2025, projections indicate that actual expenses may reach $1.094 billion.
