May 6, 2024
The Honorable Michael J. Rodrigues
Chair, Senate Committee on Ways and Means
State House, Room 212
Boston, MA 02133
The Honorable Aaron Michlewitz
Chair, House Committee on Ways and Means
State House, Room 243
Boston, MA 02133
Dear Chairs Rodrigues and Michlewitz:
Pursuant to Chapter 77 of the Acts of 2023, we are transmitting to you this report on the
Emergency Housing Assistance Program.
Sincerely,
Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz, Secretary Edward Augustus,
Executive Office for Administration Executive Office for Housing and
and Finance Livable Communities
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MEMORANDUM
TO: House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means
FR: Executive Office for Administration and Finance, Executive Office of Housing and
Livable Communities
DT: May 6, 2024
RE: Bi-weekly EA report
Background/Narrative
The table below includes key datapoints outlined in Chapter 77 of the Acts of 2023. The data is
updated as of May 2, 2024. The Administration continues to pursue key activities related to these
datapoints below.
Caseload
Value as of
Datapoint Notes
05/02/24
Total families in EA
Estimate based on family head of household
who entered as
3,758 citizenship status and primary language
migrants, refugees, or
spoken.
asylum seekers
Total families currently
Families are supported across traditional EA
in shelters, hotels or See Appendix A
shelters and hotels/motels.
motels, by municipality
Work Authorizations
• Work Authorization Clinics: In partnership with the Department of Homeland Security
and multiple Commonwealth agencies, the Administration successfully ran two weeks of
work authorization clinics for migrants staying in emergency family shelter (November
13-17 and November 27-30). In total, the work authorization clinics supported 2,910
individuals, completed 1,951 biometrics with USCIS, vaccinated 1,031 adults and
children, and facilitated 734 visits to MassHire stations.
Value as of
Datapoint Notes
05/02/24
Adults who entered as migrants, refugees, or
asylum seekers in EA shelter system who
Total number of have self-reported that they have confirmed
individuals in EA who work authorization plus the number of
entered as migrants,
2,713 approved work authorizations resulting from
refugees, or asylum
the work authorization clinic as reported by
seekers who have work
authorizations USCIS. This excludes (1) US citizens, green
card holders, and other categories of
individuals who have not recently migrated
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 but are eligible to work; and (2) those who
entered as migrants, refugees, or asylum
seekers who have applied for work
authorization but who have not reported
confirmation of approved work authorization.
While this number is unchanged from the last
biweekly report, the Administration
continues to partner with the Department of
Homeland Security to verify additional work
authorizations granted via the November
work authorization clinic.
Total number of In addition to the approved work
individuals in EA who authorization efforts, the Administration is
entered as migrants, working with local legal services providers to
3,595
refugees, or asylum file additional work authorization
seekers who have filed applications for migrants staying in
for work authorizations emergency shelter.
Fiscal
Value as of
Datapoint Notes
05/02/24
Spending to date includes shelter &
associated services, National Guard
activation, Clinical and Safety Risk
Assessment Sites, Temporary Emergency
Total amount expended
Shelters, Family Welcome Centers,
on the emergency
$564 M municipal payments, and overflow spending.
housing assistance
Because the Commonwealth typically pays
program in FY24
service providers and vendors monthly,
spending to date is largely reflective of costs
through mid-March; March invoices are
currently being received and processed.
Total amount expended FY23 and FY24 school district per-pupil
on supplemental school See Appendix B emergency aid payments detailed in
district costs, by district Appendix B.
• $8.9 M spent on FY24 school district per-
Total amount expended pupil emergency aid payments detailed in
on municipal supports, $10 M Appendix B;
by municipality • $1.2 M spent on Q1 and Q2 municipal
room occupancy tax reimbursements.
Total amount spent for • $91.3 M spent to pay shelter providers;
any other purpose from $120.5 M
1599-0514
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 • $12.8 M spent to pay service providers at
Clinical and Safety Risk Assessment and
overflow sites;
• $8.9 M for emergency per-pupil student
aid;
• $5.5 M spent for National Guard payroll;
• $1.2 M for municipal reimbursements;
• $342 K spent for life safety
improvements to the Registry of Deeds
building in Cambridge serving as an
overflow shelter;
• $248 K spent for Regional Response
Team Leads
• $226 K spent for life safety
improvements to the Melnea Cass
building in Roxbury serving as an
overflow shelter
• $28 K spent for nursing staff supporting
overflow sites;
• $5 K spent for Immigrant Family
Services Institute
Note: Figure is inclusive of municipal
payments reported above.
The recently signed supplemental budget will
address all spending needs for the remainder
of FY24, which includes shelter & associated
Projected FY24 services, staffing, Clinical and Safety Risk
$0
deficiency Assessment Sites, Family Welcome Centers,
school district reimbursements, immigration
and refugee health, community, and
workforce supports, and municipal support.
While $915 M represents projected FY25
costs, when one subtracts assumed FY25
resources consistent with the FY24 GAA and
recently signed supp, the gap between
projected FY25 costs and assumed resources
Projected FY25 costs
is $415 M. Estimate includes shelter &
through the end of $915 M
associated services, staffing, Clinical and
FY25
Safety Risk Assessment Sites, Family
Welcome Centers, school district
reimbursements, immigration and refugee
health, community, and workforce supports,
and municipal support.
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Appendix A: Total Families Currently in Shelters, Hotels or Motels by Municipality
Town Total Families
Acton 28
Amherst 5
Andover 17
Arlington 11
Ashland 2
Attleboro 14
Auburn 83
Ayer 45
Barnstable 32
Bedford 16
Beverly 27
Boston 1,303
Bourne 47
Braintree 15
Bridgewater 4
Brockton 162
Brookline 32
Burlington 34
Cambridge 32
Chelmsford 3
Chelsea 31
Chicopee 121
Concord 89
Danvers 173
Dedham 154
Devens 12
Everett 98
Fall River 91
Falmouth 10
Fitchburg 10
Foxborough 89
Framingham 182
Franklin 92
Gardner 52
Gloucester 7
Great Barrington 14
Greenfield 57
Hanson 1
Haverhill 73
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Holyoke 174
Hudson 50
Kingston 95
Lawrence 61
Leicester 35
Lexington 30
Lowell 335
Ludlow 1
Lynn 303
Malden 62
Marlborough 151
Marshfield 21
Medford 38
Medway 12
Melrose 1
Methuen 74
Middleborough 54
Milford 77
Milton 2
New Bedford 26
North Attleboro 1
Northampton 14
Northborough 21
Norton 22
Norwell 14
Norwood 75
Peabody 234
Pittsfield 30
Plainville 57
Plymouth 37
Raynham 76
Revere 26
Rockland 59
Salem 134
Saugus 75
Sharon 72
Shrewsbury 82
South Hadley 8
Southbridge 1
Springfield 277
Stoneham 1
Stoughton 243
Sturbridge 21
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Taunton 192
Tewksbury 27
Wakefield 2
Waltham 53
Watertown 42
West Springfield 89
Westborough 70
Westminster 34
Weymouth 9
Woburn 156
Worcester 333
Total 7,462
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Appendix B: Amount Expended on Supplemental School District Costs by District
FY23 – First Tranche FY23 – Second Tranche FY24 – First Tranche
Amount Amount Amount
District Total to Date
(Oct. 1, 2022 Date (Mar 2, 2023 – Date (Sept. 1, 2023 – Date
– Mar. 1, end of school Nov. 30, 2023)
2023) year)
Andover $- $- $16,048 1/29/2024 $16,048
Ashburnham-
$- $- $61,570 1/29/2024 $61,570
Westminster
Auburn $- $- $121,568 1/29/2024 $121,568
Ayer Shirley
$- $- $61,570 1/29/2024 $61,570
School District
Bedford $- $- $284,252 1/29/2024 $284,252
Billerica $- $- $94,611 1/29/2024 $94,611
Boston $- $- $13,100 1/29/2024 $13,100
Bourne $- $- $221,737 1/29/2024 $221,737
Braintree $- $- $40,488 1/29/2024 $40,488
Bridgewater-
$- $- $7,500 1/29/2024 $7,500
Raynham
Burlington $- $44,200 8/30/2023 $142,021 1/29/2024 $186,221
Cambridge $- $11,648 8/30/2023 $10,570 1/29/2024 $22,218
Chicopee $- $52,416 8/30/2023 $101,009 1/29/2024 $153,425
Concord $- $39,832 8/30/2023 $148,944 1/29/2024 $188,776
Concord-Carlisle
$- $13,312 8/30/2023