波士頓名人系列再邀Alvin Ailey舞團 4/24-27王氏劇院演出

       (Boston Orange 編譯) “波士頓名人系列”將把艾文·艾利美國舞蹈劇團（Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, AAADT）再次帶回波士頓，由新一代演員於4月24日至27日，在博赫中心王安劇院（Boch Center Wang Theatre，地址：270 Tremont Street, Boston）演出5場，展現該劇團橫跨70年的輝煌歷史，以及新創作。

演出亮點

              這次的所有演出。都是為了紀念已故的榮譽藝術總監茱蒂絲·傑米森（Judith Jamison）。五場演出將呈現三個不同的節目，包括四場波士頓首演。其中包括：

• 馬修·拉辛（Matthew Rushing）（臨時藝術總監）的《聖歌》（Sacred Songs）
• 兩位前艾利舞者——**霍普·博伊金（Hope Boykin）的《尋找自由》（Finding Free）和賈馬爾·羅伯茨（Jamar Roberts）**的《安達盧斯藍調》（Al-Andalus Blues）的作品
• 多領域編舞家**拉爾·盧博維奇（Lar Lubovitch）**的新作《眾多天使》（Many Angels）
• 編舞家**羅納德·K·布朗（Ronald K. Brown）**的經典作品《恩典》（Grace）的新製作（2024年首演，為其在艾利舞團首演25週年紀念）
• 艾文·艾利（Alvin Ailey）的標誌性傑作《啟示錄》（Revelations）將在每場演出結束時呈現。

演出時間表與詳細資訊

• 4月24日（週四）晚上8點
• 《恩典》（1999年，2024年新製作），編舞：羅納德·K·布朗
• 《尋找自由》（2024年），編舞：霍普·博伊金
• 《啟示錄》（1960年），編舞：艾文·艾利
• 4月25日（週五）晚上8點 & 4月26日（週六）晚上8點
• 《恩典》（1999年，2024年新製作）
• 《安達盧斯藍調》（2024年），編舞：賈馬爾·羅伯茨
• 《啟示錄》（1960年）
• 4月26日（週六）下午2點 & 4月27日（週日）下午3點
• 《聖歌》（2024年），波士頓首演，編舞：馬修·拉辛
• 《眾多天使》（2024年），編舞：拉爾·盧博維奇
• 《啟示錄》（1960年）

票務資訊

              個人票價從25美元起，即日起可在celebrityseries.org上購買。

Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches Initiative to Support Businesses Impacted by Trump’s Tariffs

Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches Initiative to Support Businesses Impacted by Trump’s Tariffs 

The TRBO Initiative Seeks to Support Massachusetts Businesses Facing Rising Costs, Supply Chain Disruptions, and Uncertainty Amid Rapidly Changing Tariff Policy Landscape 

BOSTON – Today, the Healey-Driscoll administration launched the Massachusetts Tariff Response and Business Operations Support Initiative (TRBO) to align state resources to aid Massachusetts businesses in response to President Donald Trump’s recent tariff policies and the ongoing uncertainty they cause for consumers and businesses across the country.  

TRBO, launched in partnership with the quasi-public economic development agency Massachusetts Technology Collaborative through its Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM), will assist Massachusetts manufacturers’ response to new and changing tariffs. It includes a survey for companies to share how they are impacted by the tariffs so that the state can help them develop response plans, identify their continuity needs, and connect them to alternative supply chains here in Massachusetts and across the region. 

“In Massachusetts, we will not abandon our manufacturers the way that President Trump has by waging a trade war against our allies that is increasing costs for everyone and hurting American businesses,” said Governor Maura Healey. “My administration has partnered with businesses from Day One and, in this time of uncertainty, I want to do all I can to safeguard the manufacturing sector and mitigate market fluctuations.” 

“Through TRBO, we will work with business leaders, community stakeholders and talented people from across the manufacturing sector to ensure that Massachusetts stays the course through these challenging times,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Despite what is happening at the federal level, we are working around the clock to build a path forward so we can keep goods moving and protect jobs no matter what.” 

The TRBO initiative follows Governor Healey’s multiple convenings and meetings with businesses and business leaders about the impact of President’s Trump’s policies, including tariffs, on the Massachusetts economy. This includes a business roundtable held April 9 with leaders of prominent organizations representing hundreds of businesses of all sizes and spanning all industries across the state, as well as representatives from the manufacturing, finance and contracting industries. 

“TRBO represents a concrete path forward to better understand and assess the impacts of the tariffs in Massachusetts so that we can advance our manufacturing capacity and support businesses in need,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. “Every day, businesses are working hard to pay their bills, deliver services and support their workers. The recent efforts by the Trump administration have thrown businesses into limbo. Massachusetts has weathered these storms before and is fortunate to have the expertise, knowledge and capacity to meet these challenging times.”  

“MassTech will assist the Healey-Driscoll administration as we implement an effective plan to ease the pressures on our manufacturing sector,” said Massachusetts Technology Collaborative CEO Carolyn Kirk. “The TRBO initiative will rely on the efforts of CAM, which is tapped into a strong network of businesses, academic institutions and local governments, working together to build a resilient manufacturing ecosystem.”   

TRBO is built on four critical focus areas: 

• T – Tariff Impact Analysis: Monitoring how tariffs are impacting Massachusetts-based manufacturers through data collection 
• R – Response Strategy Development: Facilitating resources from the ecosystem to support plans to mitigate risks 
• B – Business Continuity Support: Coordinating and aligning partners with available state or ecosystem resources 
• O – Operations Support for Supply Chain Resiliency: Supporting adaptability of supply chains in new tariff environments 

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $5 Million in IT Grants for Municipalities Through Community Compact Program

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $5 Million in IT Grants for Municipalities Through Community Compact Program

 

Grants will help cities and towns improve cybersecurity and operational efficiency, implement records and financial management systems, and build critical IT infrastructure

 

BOSTON – Today, the Healey-Driscoll administration is awarding over $4.95 million in grants for information and technology projects to 72 Massachusetts municipalities, including 13 first-time recipients, through the Community Compact program. By investing in technology, these grants will drive innovation, support efficiency of local operations, save taxpayer money, and make it easier for residents to interact with their local government. 

 

Among the initiatives funded through this year’s grants are implementation of new budgeting software and e-permitting systems, website enhancements to improve accessibility, and support for records management system upgrades. The full list of FY25 recipients can be found here. 

 

“Our administration is committed to partnering with municipal leaders to ensure that Massachusetts cities and towns have the innovative technology they need to serve their communities,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These grants enable our municipalities to be more cybersecure and safe, efficient, and responsive to residents’ needs.”   

 

The Community Compact IT grant program supports the implementation of projects by funding capital needs such as technology infrastructure or software. Eligible costs include incidental or one-time expenses related to capital planning, design, installation, implementation, and initial training. Since Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16), the program has provided 549 grants, supporting over 300 municipalities/school districts projects and totaling $34.1 million.  

 

“The initiatives that won funding through our IT grant program this cycle will drive innovation and enable critical security improvements in communities from Cape Cod to the Berkshires,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Congratulations to the recipients and I look forward to seeing these important projects come to fruition.”   

 

"Massachusetts’s financial health depends on our municipalities being equipped with the tools they need to operate safely and efficiently in the modern era,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “Our FY25 IT awards close funding gaps for key technology initiatives that will make our cities and towns more productive and prepared for the future.”  

 

 "The Community Compact IT Grant Program has significantly improved our communities by advancing state and local IT goals across Massachusetts,” said Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder. “Over the past year, I have seen firsthand how these grants enhance municipal government functions, security, and service delivery. Our strong state-municipal partnership continues to deliver value for municipal governments throughout Massachusetts." 

 

The grants announced today are one of four Community Compact funding opportunities offered by the state to municipalities each year, in addition to awards for Best Practices, Efficiency & Regionalization (E&R), and Municipal Fiber. More information is available here. 

波士頓國民黨紀念總理、總裁逝世兼慶青年節 4/12冒雨聚會還慶生

波士頓國民黨常委張韻蘭(前左二)和壽星李先，金杏濱、侯魯琨、劉成等壽星。

             (Boston Orange) 周菊子波士頓報導) 中國國民黨駐波士頓分部4月12日中午，在華埠乞臣街 (Hudson)會址舉辦總理暨總裁逝世，青年節聯合紀念大會，同時為四至六月出生的7名黨員慶生，數十人冒雨來到會場，歡聚一午。

波士頓國民黨常委張韻蘭、書記鄭增壽主持紀念大會暨慶生會。(周菊子攝)

                       會議由常委張韻蘭主持，書記鄭增壽擔任司儀，在唱國歌，主席恭讀國父遺囑等例行儀式後，說明這天聚會是紀念國父孫中山於1925年3月12日，先總理蔣中正於1975年4月5日逝世，緬懷他們為創建中華民國所做貢獻。

              出席眾人還在會上高唱總理總裁紀念歌等愛國歌曲，由於座中有人曾參軍作戰，大家開口一唱，把記憶拉向孫中山、蔣中正先後於100年、50年前辭世的年代，竟都感慨十分。

波士頓國民黨常委張韻蘭 (右三)和壽星們一起切蛋糕。右起，楊麗雪、
侯魯琨、李先、劉成、金曉鈴、金杏濱。(周菊子攝)

                        這天波士頓國民黨也慶祝3月29日青年節，既向促成中華民國革命成功的黃花崗72烈士致敬，也重溫國民黨認為黃花崗烈士事蹟比五四運動更重要，定為青年節的由來。

              3月29日那天，還有波士頓黨員冒寒在波士頓華埠牌樓前，自設祭壇，遙向黃花崗72烈士致敬，引起一批年輕路人好奇，探問緣由，意外促成一次臺美文化交流。

            12日的慶生環節，請壽星們和出席黨員高唱生日歌，切蛋糕，發紅包，分享黨員們帶到會場的Ferreo Rocher巧克力，有殼花生，享用黨部訂來的豆腐班腩，乾炒牛河，蘿蔔牛肉，炸豬排等飯盒，邊吃飯，邊聊天，很是愜意。

           4到6月的壽星有侯魯琨、金杏濱、司徒珍金、張韻蘭、李先、楊麗雪，劉成等7人。其中年紀最長的是民國19年出生，來美前是海軍技正，指導過軍艦啟航的李先，以及曾親上戰場的陸軍劉成，最年輕的則是住在新罕布夏州的楊麗雪。波士頓國民黨為壽星們準備了蛋糕之外，還給每人送上一封大紅包，作為賀禮。

書記鄭增壽隨後報告，4月25日，國民黨美東支部將召開會議。常委張韻蘭和他屆時將赴華府出席，請黨員們暢述任何建言或意見，他們都將轉達。

黨員沈慶雲日前已提一建議，請美東支部收集資料，查察李登輝、蔡英文，以及賴清德等中華民國前任、現任總統，以及民進黨高官們，早年是否曾經說過「我是中國人」這句話，然後將資料整理成文，公之於眾，以期年輕人知道真相，再做評斷。

高齡已逾90的劉成這天也站出來，說他看過一些報導，形容當年日本戰敗後，有不少人認為回日本，生活不會更好，決定留在台灣，成為了日本浪人，繁衍至今，已有500萬人之多。他認為這是台灣目前亂象橫生的原因之一。

由於波士頓國民黨的黨員，許多人年事已高，溝通方式仍以書信為主。常委張韻蘭說明，礙於黨部人手不足，每次有活動，都是她一一印製信函，裝入信封，貼上郵票，專門跑一趟郵局，才能完成通知事宜。這天她和鄭增壽及黨員們討論後，希望黨員們都能安裝Line這社交軟體，以方便即時通訊，加強黨員之間的聯繫，互動。

CITY OF BOSTON AND BOSTON LEGACY FOOTBALL CLUB ANNOUNCE UPDATES ON SUPPLIER DIVERSITY INITIATIVES FOR WHITE STADIUM

CITY OF BOSTON AND BOSTON LEGACY FOOTBALL CLUB ANNOUNCE UPDATES ON SUPPLIER DIVERSITY INITIATIVES FOR WHITE STADIUM A new dashboard available to promote transparency, economic opportunity and access for local and diverse businesses; Privé Parking, a local Black-owned transportation firm founded by Roxbury resident Ricardo Pierre-Louis has already been awarded a contract

BOSTON - Wednesday, April 16, 2025 - Today, the City of Boston and Boston Legacy Football Club (BLFC) shared supplier diversity updates for White Stadium, including the awarding of contracts, community engagement events, and the launch of the White Stadium Supplier Diversity Initiative Dashboard. The dashboard is a tool designed to help local businesses access contracting opportunities as part of the White Stadium project, while monitoring progress towards the project’s Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) participation goals.  “White Stadium is an incredible opportunity for economic development for our local businesses in Boston,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “These latest updates on our efforts to hire women- and minority-owned businesses continue our work to invest in our communities by creating more access for our community. Generating job and contracting opportunities is an important part of making Boston a home for everyone.” On the dashboard, local minority- and women-owned businesses and community members can view current and upcoming contracting opportunities, track contracts awarded to date, and monitor progress toward the project’s commitment to award 50% of all contracting dollars to M/WBEs across its design, construction, and operations phases. The new Supplier Diversity Dashboard brings together contracting opportunities from both the City and the football club. The dashboard serves as an online complement to the City’s broader community outreach plan, pairing digital access with in-person events that bring opportunities directly into neighborhoods.  “As a lifelong resident of the City of Boston, I have seen too many major projects developed in our community, without our community. I am privileged to have the opportunity to prevent a self-fulfilling prophecy, working with my colleagues under the direction of Mayor Wu to level the playing field and ensure contract dollars reach local, diverse small businesses,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “This dashboard, tied together with the White Stadium Supplier Diversity Advisory Group and our Contracting Opportunity Fairs, is both delivering on our commitments to the community, and ensuring that we maintain a robust level of transparency and accountability to all stakeholders.” The White Stadium renovation project includes two major construction components: the East Grandstand, led by the City of Boston, and the West Grandstand, led by BLFC. Both project teams are working in close coordination toward a shared goal of delivering a stadium that expands community access, honors the Franklin Park Action Plan, and generates long-term economic opportunity for the neighborhood and the city.  The City of Boston and BLFC have hosted two in-person White Stadium Contracting Opportunity Fairs. The first event, held on March 18 at the National Center of Afro-American Artists (NCAAA) in Roxbury, welcomed nearly 60 local business owners, contractors, and community members, who engaged directly with project team leads. The second fair, hosted on April 15 at the Lena Park Community Center in Dorchester, drew over 75 attendees interested in learning more about upcoming contracting opportunities. Since these events, both the City and BLFC construction teams have received strong interest from local businesses eager to get involved in the project. The White Stadium project team and the City of Boston Department of Supplier Diversity will host the next of a series of four in-person Contracting Opportunity Fairs on Tuesday, May 20th, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Grove Hall Library in Dorchester. At the event, attendees will be able to connect directly with the White Stadium construction teams and learn about upcoming contracting opportunities related to the project.  In addition, the City will present updates on the City’s FY26 Buying Plan initiative led by the Procurement Department and Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion (OEOI). This will highlight how businesses can engage with procurement opportunities across City departments. Business owners interested in attending the April 15 event, as well as future Opportunity Fairs, can register using this form.  Local businesses are already benefiting from these targeted outreach efforts. BLFC recently awarded a contract worth $160,000 to Privé Parking, a local Black-owned transportation firm founded by Roxbury resident Ricardo Pierre-Louis. He connected with BLFC through these networking events. Privé Parking will collaborate with BLFC to help shape the transportation and operations plan for National Women's Soccer League game days. "It’s not often that local businesses get a seat at the table in large-scale developments, but being part of the White Stadium project proves that times are changing”, said Ricardo Pierre-Louis. “With the City of Boston’s support and the intentional connections made through their hosted networking events, it’s clear there’s a real commitment to creating opportunities for local businesses. I’m honored to be part of this groundbreaking moment not just for myself but as the beginning of what I hope is a wave of community-rooted businesses contributing to this development." "Boston Legacy FC is committed to opportunities for local businesses and we are proud to have already established our first Supplier Diversity Advisory Group-driven contract with a local Black-owned business, Privé Parking,” said Jennifer Epstein, Boston Legacy Football Club Controlling Manager. “This furthers our ongoing commitment to supplier diversity, having already awarded over 50% of our contracts to minority and women-owned business enterprises. We deeply appreciate the ongoing work of the Supplier Diversity Advisory Group and look forward to continued strong participation from the community."  For West Grandstand opportunities, businesses can submit their information using this form. For East Grandstand opportunities, businesses can contact Jon Rossini, Senior Project Manager at Bond Building Construction at jonrossini@bond-building.com. “White Stadium has the chance to become a true reflection of Boston’s neighborhoods—both in who gets to play there and who gets to build it," said Beth Santos, Ula Cafe, small business owner and local resident. "Prioritizing local, diverse businesses isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s how we make sure this investment truly reaches the communities it’s meant to serve."  To explore the new Supplier Diversity Initiative Website and Dashboard, please visit City of Boston’s White Stadium webpage.

川普政府取消麻州9千萬元防災援助金

Trump Administration Cancels $90 Million in Disaster Prevention Aid for Massachusetts Communities 

BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey is criticizing the Trump Administration’s cancellation of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program, also known as BRIC, which provides disaster prevention aid to municipalities across Massachusetts. This action revokes $90 million for 18 communities, a regional planning commission and two state agencies. 

“In recent years, Massachusetts communities have been devastated by severe storms, flooding and wildfires. We rely on FEMA funding to not only rebuild but also take steps to protect against future extreme weather,” said Governor Healey. “But the Trump Administration has suddenly ripped the rug out from under cities and towns that had been promised funding to help them upgrade their roads, bridges, buildings and green spaces to mitigate risk and prevent disasters in the future. This makes our communities less safe and will increase costs for residents, municipalities and businesses.” 

“As a former Mayor, I know firsthand how cities and towns rely on FEMA funding to recover from disasters and prepare for the next storm. We urgently need to be making our communities more resilient, but the Trump Administration is undermining this important work,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “Our administration is here to support our local leaders as much as we can, and we have impactful resilience programming underway, but we need the federal government to uphold their end of the bargain.” 

“Climate change cannot be ignored. For every dollar we invest in resilience today, we save $13 in avoided damages and economic impacts,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “At DCR, we were preparing to upgrade Tenean Beach, elevate Conley Street, and restore the nearby wetlands to provide important flood protection to nearby environmental justice communities and public transit. Each BRIC award represents a neighborhood that needs support. These are real costs our communities will bear with the loss of BRIC funding.” 

BRIC is an annual FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant funded by FEMA and administered through a partnership with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). BRIC makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, federally recognized tribal governments, and local governments for hazard mitigation activities, which have become all the more important in recent years given the severe rise in extreme weather events caused by climate change.  

The following municipalities and agencies are expected to be impacted by the cancellation of this program: 

• Boston: $22,894,600 for Resilient Moakley Park 

• Acton: $67,500 for Jenks Conservation Land Culvert Improvements 

• Chelsea and Everett: $49,999,999 for Island End River Coastal Flood Resilience Project 

• Hull: $49,500 to enhance Hull's Existing Adopted Codes 

• Hinsdale: $81,720 for Powering the Hinsdale Public Safety Complex 

• Wilbraham: $150,000 for Glenn Drive Pump Station Generator 

• Lynnfield: $80,302.50 for Implementation of Permitting System 

• Longmeadow: $74,156 for Building Code Activities 

• Grafton: $37,500 for Merriam Road Culvert Improvement Project Scoping 

• Rockport: $320,000 for Thatcher Road Corridor Resilient Design 

• Newburyport: $50,250 for Drinking Water and Watershed Regulations Assessment & Update 

• Northbridge: $37,500 for Permitting Process Upgrade 

• Whately: $63,750 for Christian Lane Stormwater Flooding 

• Brockton: $124,050 for Keith Field Culvert Project Scoping 

• North Adams: $144,000 for Galvin Road Culvert Improvements Project Scoping 

• Taunton: $195,000 for Cobb Brook Culvert Study Project Scoping 

• Gosnold: $75,000 for Protection of Cuttyhunk Island's Water Supply Project Scoping 

• Rockport: $8,437.50 for Building Code Capabilities Enhancement 

• Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission: $321,021 for Regional Building Code Inspection and Training 

• Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR): $11,969,908 for Tenean Beach/Conley Street Resilient Waterfront Project in Boston and $505,516 for Building Code Higher Flood Standards 

• Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA): $675,000 for Massachusetts Building Code Access, $300,000 for Statewide Voluntary Buyout Program Feasibility Study & Pilot Program, and $1,873,013 for State Management Costs 

The cities and towns have been working closely with FEMA for years to advance these projects that the federal government has already appropriated funds to support. For instance, cities and towns have moved forward with expensive permitting applications and engineering and design plans, due to FEMA's identification of their project as a future recipient of Federal BRIC funds. 

Statements from impacted municipalities: 

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu: 
“The Trump Administration’s unlawful cancellation of nearly $35 million in federal grants for flood protection projects at Moakley Park and Tenean Beach will put jobs, people, and property at risk. These crucial projects follow years of community planning for critical access to open space while securing vulnerable flood paths so that thousands of families in the surrounding neighborhoods would be protected from storm surge and coastal flooding. We will fight to restore this funding to protect our communities.” 

Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez:  
“Chelsea is an environmental justice community that supports a significant share of the region’s essential infrastructure and services. The loss of BRIC funding for the Island End River Flood Barrier project puts over $7 billion in annual economic activity—and the safety of more than 5,000 residents living in the floodplain—at risk. We urge the administration to reconsider and restore this critical investment in frontline communities.”   

Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria: 
“Losing the FEMA funding that was initially approved in 2018 under the Trump Administration means not being able to address critical flooding that often threatens thousands of residential homes, access to our regional supply of fresh produce as well as a major and vital transportation corridor to the North Shore. In addition to crippling our regional economy, this flooding is expected to happen almost weekly within five years and would cause the release of petrochemicals and hazardous materials that had been isolated for public health and safety." 

Hull Town Manager Jennifer Constable: 
“The Town of Hull appreciates the support and efforts of the Healey/Driscoll Administration in response to the short-sighted and unprecedented actions of the Trump administration. Ending the BRIC program eliminates an important tool to coastal communities who are working diligently to build resiliency and mitigate impacts of natural disasters to its communities.  Providing funding to take mitigating measures against crisis realized from natural disasters is both fiscally and programmatically sound planning and governing.” 

麻州庇護所內家庭數降至5000以下

Number of Families in Shelter Falls Below 5,000 Following Governor Healey’s Reforms 

Governor Healey continues to reduce caseload, lower taxpayer costs and exit more families to permanent housing 

BOSTON – The number of families in Emergency Assistance Shelter fell below 5,000 this week for the first time since July 2023. The number of hotels used for Emergency Shelter has been cut by more than half and is on track to eliminate the use of hotels by the end of the year. Approximately 75 percent of families seeking shelter are longtime Massachusetts families. This is a direct result of actions taken by Governor Maura Healey to reduce caseload and costs to taxpayers.  

Additional reforms proposed by Governor Healey went into effect last Friday that will further build on this progress. These reforms include the elimination of presumptive eligibility for the shelter system and the limitation of stays to six months.  

“We inherited an Emergency Shelter System that was on an unsustainable path,” said Governor Healey. “We’ve taken decisive action to reduce the number of families in shelter and lower the cost of the system – and we’re getting results. Caseload is now down by 33 percent from its peak, and we have already reduced the use of costly hotels by more than half.” 

“We all benefit from helping families experiencing homelessness get back on their feet. That’s why we’ve prioritized helping people get work authorizations, jobs and permanent housing,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “As a result, we’re seeing record numbers of families leaving shelter for better situations in which they can contribute to our economy and our communities.” 

The family shelter system provides emergency shelter and rehousing to families with children and pregnant women living in Massachusetts. More than half of the families in shelter are long-time Massachusetts residents. Since the start of 2025, double the number of families have exited shelter (approximately 2,100) than have entered shelter (approximately 1,000).  

Caseload is expected to drop further as exits continue to outpace placements, hotel shelters are closed by the end of the year, and families are provided with appropriate support through the new two-track needs-based shelter model implemented by the Healey-Driscoll Administration. 

Supplemental Budget Implementation 

Effective last Friday, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) is implementing changes to eligibility and length of stay for the EA program as required by the supplemental budget approved in February and in line with the administration’s goal to build a program that better serves homeless families and remains fiscally and operationally sustainable. 

All families are now required to be fully eligible for EA prior to being added to the contact list and placed into shelter, absent an exception. This means all documentation and verification must be completed and CORI results returned with no serious crimes. Families must now provide proof of residency in Massachusetts and intent to remain in the state, must prove all family members have lawful immigration status, and families cannot have income exceeding 200 percent of the federal poverty level for more than four months in shelter. 

Families are also subject to a six-month length of stay policy in Bridge shelters with the option to request a hardship waiver if they meet the criteria outlined in the supplemental budget and guidance. All families will receive a six-month exit notice upon entry into a Bridge shelter and those notices will be provided to families currently in in Bridge shelters now. 

EOHLC is also making updates to Bridge Universal Shelter Rules to incorporate recommendations from The Edward Davis Company to ensure safety and security of all families. 

More information can be found within the regulations, Length of Stay guidance, prioritization and contact list guidance, and a FAQ posted to the EOHLC website. 

Incident Command 

Due to the successful implementation of Governor Healey’s reforms, the state has entered the next phase of operations where the EA system no longer requires an Incident Command structure to coordinate intergovernmental response. 

The Incident Command structure was established in May 2023 by the Governor to lead and coordinate a cross-cabinet emergency response to address the increasing demand for shelter. As of April 1, the shelter system is staffed and run fully within EOHLC. 

“Over the past two years, the EA system has stabilized more than 10,000 homeless families,” said Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities Ed Augustus. “We are grateful for the support of the Incident Command team and our interagency partners who assisted during this emergency response, and our work continues to build a program that better serves homeless families and remains fiscally and operationally sustainable.” 

By the numbers 

As of Tuesday, there were 4,966 families in the state’s Bridge Shelter track, which is down from its peak of 7,500 families. An additional 202 families are in the Rapid Shelter track. 

With the recent approval of supplemental funding for the shelter system, the Legislature and the administration have aligned on a long-term strategy to return the system to operationally and fiscally sustainable levels. This strategy builds on many of this team’s accomplishments since 2023, including. 

• Helping more than 6,500 people secure work authorizations. 

• Helping nearly 5,000 shelter residents find jobs. 

• Tripling monthly exits from the system over the last year, from 213 exits in January 2024 to 717 exits in January 2025. 

• Tripling monthly shelter diversions over the last year, from 37 diversions in January 2024 to 110 diversions in January 2025. 

• The number of hotels used for emergency shelter is down by 56 percent since 2023, with 10 more expected to close by the end of the month. 

• Returning caseload to 2023 levels while serving more families more effectively based on their needs.