麻州參議會通過撥款4.25億元支持緊急屋援協助無殼家庭

(Boston Orange 編譯) 麻州參議院通過了S.16法案，議定分配 4. 25億美元用於無家可歸家庭的緊急住房援助。麻州參眾兩會將協調兩會所通過法案版本的差異後，送交州長簽決。

S.16法案包括成本控制和報告機制，以確保在未有需要者提供援助之際，負責任的動用納稅人款項。

參議會議長Karen E. Spilka (民主黨籍-Ashland)強調，這法案平衡了會計責任和道德義務。

該法案要求從2025年12月31日起，麻州限制收容庇護所最多收留4,000個家庭，在今年底前逐步淘汰使用酒店和汽車旅館作為緊急住房作法，每兩週向立法機構提交庇護所家庭數量報告。

法案也規定了新的控制成本，改善安全指導方針，為暫時喘息場所提供資金，要求申請者揭露是否曾經犯罪，為處於危急狀況家庭提供長達30天的暫時喘息場所，並要求申請緊急住房援助的成人揭露以前是否曾經犯有刑事罪。

眾議院已通過之前版本，兩院將調和差異後送交州長簽署。

Senate Passes Supplemental Funding for Emergency Shelters 

Balances fiscal responsibility to taxpayers with moral responsibility to Massachusetts families in shelters   

(BOSTON–2/12/2025) Today, the Massachusetts Senate passed legislation to allocate $425 million to support emergency housing assistance for unhoused families across the Commonwealth. The bill adds cost controls and reporting mechanisms to ensure the state responsibly uses taxpayer dollars, while continuing to fund a system that serves Massachusetts mothers, fathers, and children in crisis.   

The bill, S.16, will provide safe shelter and supportive services for unhoused families, establish eligibility requirements and time-limited benefits, and ensure program accountability to help protect Massachusetts residents.  

“Today we struck a balance between our fiscal responsibility to Massachusetts taxpayers, and our moral obligation to moms, dads, and kids who are in a difficult moment,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “We prioritize Massachusetts families in need, ensure transparency in the program, and lay the groundwork for long-term solutions to homelessness. I thank Chair Rodrigues, and each of the members of the Senate, for their collaboration and contributions to this legislation.”  

“I’m pleased that the Senate has passed this supplemental budget to provide funding and further clarify supportive services for unhoused families in the Commonwealth,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “The Senate has largely concurred with the House in making these important but necessary changes to the family shelter system. These adjustments will allow for families to transfer out of these temporary housing units more readily, continue our track of providing sustainable employment, and provide a glide path for exiting the system. This bill strikes a balance by supporting families in crisis, while responsibly managing taxpayer dollars as we redouble our efforts to move the EA shelter system towards a fiscally sustainable future. Going forward, this legislation also puts more stringent reporting requirements from the Administration, so the Legislature can continue to track and monitor the EA shelter program.”   

The legislation enhances the existing residency requirements for families in the shelter system, ensuring assistance is received by those who are Massachusetts residents.  

Those in shelter would be able to stay for up to six months, and those families with young children, a pregnant person late in their pregnancy, or in other vulnerable circumstances, would be able to receive hardship exemptions to increase their length of stay. The bill requires verification of personal details to confirm that shelter residents are eligible for benefits.   

The legislation ensures fiscal responsibility by including new guidelines for implementation of the shelter system intended to control costs and increase safety. It funds temporary respite sites for families in crisis for up to 30 days and requires adult applicants for emergency housing assistance to disclose prior criminal convictions before placement into housing. The bill would also limit or exclude individuals with serious crimes from receiving assistance.    

In line with the Administration’s goal to reduce reliance on hotels and motels, the Senate’s legislation caps the number of families in shelters at 4,000 families, beginning on December 31, 2025, and requires that the administration submit biweekly reports to the legislature on the number of families in shelter. The bill phases out the use of hotels and motels for emergency housing by the end of this year and requires a report on strategies to prevent homelessness and promote stable rehousing.  

A previous version of this bill having passed the House of Representatives, the two branches will now reconcile the differences between the bills before sending it to the Governor’s desk.