BOSTON (WWLP) – The newest set of emergency shelter regulations kick in on Tuesday, and set up a two-track system to assist families based on their level of need.
These new regulations aim to make shelter stays “rare, brief, and non-recurring.” The overarching goal of the system is to get families into stable, permanent housing as quickly as possible.
In the new version of the shelter system, families who are determined to have lower support needs will go into the “Rapid Shelter Track” and will be permitted to stay in overflow shelters for up to 30 days. Higher-risk families, or those with more complex needs, will go into the “Bridge Shelter Track” and will be permitted to stay in traditional shelters for up to six months.
Both tracks promise intensive support, including help with work authorizations, job placements, and English language classes.
According to advocates, though, these new regulations will result in more families on the streets as the weather gets colder.
“It is saying, for the vast majority of families, you’re going to get these intense services and that will be all. And I think the criteria don’t seem to match what families needs are when it comes to being able to safely exit shelter for permanent housing,” Andrea Park, the Director of Community Driven Advocacy for the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, told 22News.