On January 15, Governor Maura Healey proposed significant new changes to the state’s Right to Shelter law, including imposing a statutory residency requirement for families and strengthening criminal background checks. Gov. Healey submitted these recommendations in a letter to the Senate President, Speaker, and House and Senate Ways and Means Chairs.
The proposed changes to the Right to Shelter law include:
- Strengthening criminal background checks.
- Implementing a statutory requirement of residency and intent to remain.
- Eliminating presumptive eligibility.
- Changes to eviction eligibility criteria.
- Requiring lawful status for all members of families with rare exceptions.
These proposed changes follow Governor Healey’s recent announcement requiring CORI checks on all EA applicants in addition to background checks already occurring, conducting inspections at all shelter sites, and hiring former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to lead an independent, outside review of security at EA shelters. The supplemental budget she filed earlier this month also proposed reducing the length of stay at EA shelters from nine months to six months.
The full letter can be viewed here.
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