June 3, 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 and Chapter 88 of the Acts of 2024, we are
transmitting to you this bi-weekly 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: June 3, 2024
RE: Bi-weekly EA report
Background/Narrative
The table below includes key datapoints outlined in Chapter 77 of the Acts of 2023 and Chapter
88 of the Acts of 2024. The data is updated as of May 30, 2024. The Administration continues to
pursue key activities related to these datapoints below.
Caseload
Value as of
Datapoint Notes
05/30/24
Total families in EA
Estimate based on family head of household
who entered as
3,755 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
Number of families
Not all families that apply for shelter are
applying for shelter in 433 eligible.
the previous 14 days
Number of families in
374
overflow
Number of exits from
EA in the previous 14 120
days (families)
Average length of stay Based on families active in EA
362 days
in the EA program shelters/hotels on 5/30/2024
Data includes newly enrolled students in K-
12 districts from hotel EA sites and overflow
shelter sites between May 13, 2024 and May
Number of new student
21, 2024. Future reports will include new
enrollments associated 69
enrollment for previous two weeks. There
with the EA program
may be a lag in data reporting to the
Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education from school districts.
Number of families Reporting will begin when 60-day rehousing
N/A
certified pursuant to plan compliance policy is implemented
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 G.L. Chapter 23B
Section 30 paragraph G
Number of families not
certified pursuant to Reporting will begin when 60-day rehousing
N/A
G.L. Chapter 23B plan compliance policy is implemented
Section 30 paragraph G
Waitlist
Value as of
Datapoint Notes
05/30/24
Number of families on
798
the EA waitlist
Number of families on
the waitlist who have
173
been placed in the last
14 days
Shelter diversion services, including HomeBASE
Family Welcome Center services, including but not limited to:
- Basic needs provisions, including but not limited to diapers,
wipes, hygiene products, baby formula, and meals
- Employment authorization legal assistance
- Public benefits enrollment
- Vaccinations and health screenings
- Referrals to other services such as ESOL courses, legal
assistance, mental health services, health care services
Services provided to
Overflow and safety net shelter and services including but not
families on the EA
limited to:
waitlist
- Temporary shelter
- Case management and wraparound services
- Diversion services
- School enrollment
- Referrals to health services
Clinical and Safety Risk Assessment site services for eligible
families on the waitlist, including but not limited to:
- Clinical supports and connections to care
- Case management services
Work Authorizations
• Work Authorization Clinics: In partnership with the Department of Homeland Security
and multiple Massachusetts state 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.
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 Value as of
Datapoint Notes
05/30/24
Adults who entered as migrants, refugees, or
asylum seekers in EA shelter system who
have self-reported that they have confirmed
work authorization plus the number of
approved work authorizations resulting from
the work authorization clinic as reported by
USCIS. This excludes (1) US citizens, green
card holders, and other categories of
Total number of
individuals who have not recently migrated
individuals in EA who
but are eligible to work; and (2) those who
entered as migrants,
2,713 entered as migrants, refugees, or asylum
refugees, or asylum
seekers who have applied for work
seekers who have work
authorization but who have not reported
authorizations
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
3,711
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
05/30/24
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
$655 M municipal payments, and overflow spending.
housing assistance
program in FY24 Because the Commonwealth typically pays
service providers and vendors monthly,
spending to date is largely reflective of costs
through mid-March; March invoices are
currently being received and processed.
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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.
• $23 M spent on FY24 school district per-
Total amount expended pupil emergency aid payments detailed in
on municipal supports, $24.2 M Appendix B;
by municipality • $1.2 M spent on Q1 and Q2 municipal
room occupancy tax reimbursements.
• $153.1 M spent to pay shelter providers;
• $23 M for emergency per-pupil student
aid;
• $20.5 M spent to pay service providers at
Clinical and Safety Risk Assessment and
overflow sites;
• $7.1 M spent for National Guard payroll;
• $2.7 M for additional educational
supports for homeless student
transportation and multi-lingual faculty
• $1.2 M for municipal reimbursements;
• $674 K spent for life safety
Total amount spent for
improvements to overflow shelters
any other purpose from
$209.2 M including the Registry of Deeds building
1599-0514 and 1599-
1213 in Cambridge, the Melnea Cass building
in Roxbury, and the Veterans Home in
Chelsea;
• $381 K for vaccine record reviews
• $359 K spent for Regional Response
Team Leads
• $28 K spent for nursing staff supporting
overflow sites;
• $9 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.
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 While $915 M represents projected FY25
costs, when one subtracts assumed FY25
resources consistent with the FY25 House
and SWM budgets and recently signed supp,
the gap between projected FY25 costs and
Projected FY25 costs
assumed resources is $415 M. Estimate
through the end of $915 M
includes shelter & associated services,
FY25
staffing, Clinical and Safety Risk Assessment
Sites, Family Welcome Centers, school
district reimbursements, immigration and
refugee health, community, and workforce
supports, and municipal support.
Current funded
Sufficient funding exists to support a
capacity of the EA 7,500
capacity of 7,500 through the end of FY24.
program
Expenditures from TEF
consistent with Section
No transfer from TEF to 1599-0514 in
25 of Chapter 88 of the
$0 accordance with Section 25 of Chapter 88 of
Acts of 2024 in the
the Acts of 2024 has yet occurred.
previous 14 days,
delineated by purpose
Total expenditures
from TEF consistent
with Section 25 of
Chapter 88 of the Acts $0 Not applicable at this time.
of 2024 since July 1,
2024, delineated by
purpose
A&F and other executive branch agencies continue to aggressively
pursue federal support for the EA program. So far, the following
have been secured:
• Approval of revised 1115 waiver, which may bring
additional reimbursements on HHS-related EA program
Efforts by A&F to costs directly to the General Fund
maximize federal
• $1.8 M portion of joint City of Boston-Commonwealth of
support and Massachusetts award within FEMA Shelter and Services
reimbursement for
Program (SSP) in 2023
funds spent on EA
• $7 M award for additional FEMA SSP grant via the first
2024 funding round
A&F is currently pursuing a third SSP grant application and
evaluating additional avenues for federal support.
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Appendix A: Total Families Currently in Shelters, Hotels or Motels by Municipality
Town Total Families
Acton 28
Amherst 6
Andover 19
Arlington 10
Ashland 2
Attleboro 15
Auburn 87
Ayer 47
Barnstable 34
Beverly 28
Boston 1,289
Bourne 45
Braintree