Last week, the Massachusetts Senate passed its version of the $425 million supplemental budget (S.16) for the EA shelter system. The Senate bill would cap capacity in the system at 4,000 families for the period Dec. 31, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2026, reduce the maximum length in a shelter from nine to six consecutive months and make temporary respite sites available to families that appear eligible for the emergency assistance system for up to 30 days upon arrival in Massachusetts.
The Senate bill also addresses the issue of “presumptive eligibility” by allowing the state to verify eligibility for emergency assistance benefits during the application process. It would require that applicants prove Massachusetts residency and an intent to stay in Massachusetts by providing certain documents. Unlike the House version, the Senate bill includes a section creating a waitlist for emergency assistance applicants who appear to be eligible “but who need additional time to obtain any third-party verifications reasonably required by the executive office.” The two branches will now reconcile the differences between the bills before sending it to the Governor’s desk.
For more information about the supplemental budget, please contact Caroline O’Neill.
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