Fiola, Haddad, Schmid and Silvia all vote against Residency Requirement for Right to Shelter Law a second time

For the second time in six months, local State Representatives have voted against residency requirements for the states Right to Shelter Law.

This past Wednesday, the Massachusetts House passed a $245 million dollar spending bill aimed directly at the emergency shelter system that has already reached it’s financial limit.

The House voted 121-33 to approve the bill, which now moves on to the State Senate. Local State Representatives Carole Fiola of Fall River, Patricia Haddad of Somerset, Paul Schmid of Westport and Alan Silvia of Fall River all voted in support of the bill.

Republican State Representative Paul Frost from Auburn, however, proposed an amendment to the emergency shelter legislation that would impose a six-month residency requirement for individuals to be eligible in the state’s right to shelter program.

Frost’s proposed amendment did not pass. Fiola, Haddad, Schmid and Silvia all voted against the amendment.

Massachusetts GOP Chairwoman Amy Carnavale released a statement this week expressing her frustration with Democratic legislators who prevented the measure:

“It is deeply concerning that Democrats are unwilling to entertain the notion of implementing a six-month residency requirement as a means to regulate access to the right to shelter law. Such a measure is the most effective strategy to manage the influx of migrants entering Massachusetts. Rather than addressing the root of the issue, Democrats seem content to perpetuate the crisis through endless spending which will result in serious consequences for programs important to our cities and towns.”

The ‘no’ votes come after all four local representatives voted just last fall against another proposed residency requirement that would have required participants of the Right to Shelter program to have lived in Massachusetts for a full year.

As shelter costs approach a billion dollars, concerns continue to grow over how tax dollars are being spent. Recent reports over a $10 million dollar no-bid contract for food services and 17 housing contracts totaling $117 million, have Massachusetts residents wondering how much more they can pay. Governor Healey projects the state will spend close to $950 million on shelters this fiscal year alone.

Fall River Reporter has reached out to Reps Fiola, Haddad, Schmid and Silvia for comment.