Latest bi-weekly report on Massachusetts emergency shelter program lists average weekly cost per family at $3,359; other details released

The latest bi-weekly report on the Massachusetts Emergency Assistance shelter program was released on August 25th, with data current as of August 21st. It covers metrics from the preceding two weeks and provides ongoing insights into the program’s operations, caseloads, and costs amid efforts to manage family homelessness.

This system, established under a 1980s “right-to-shelter” law, primarily houses homeless families with children or pregnant women, including both long-term Massachusetts residents and recent migrants, refugees, or asylum seekers. The program faced significant strain in recent years due to an influx of migrants starting in 2022, leading to overflow into hotels and motels, but caseloads have since declined sharply following policy changes like length-of-stay limits and stricter eligibility rules.

The report lists the current weekly average cost per family at $3,359. Down from the $3,823 reported in July. This figure is calculated based on total expenses for the EA shelter program from the last full month with nearly all bills paid, divided by the number of families, and prorated to a weekly basis. It encompasses costs for shelter, food, education, legal aid, and other direct services.

Key highlights from the report include:

• As of August 21st, 2,899 families were in EA shelters with 998 of those entering as migrants, refugees, or asylum seekers. In the prior 14 days, 549 families applied for shelter, and 221 exited the program. The 2,899 is down from the 3,439 figure released in July.
• The median stay for families in the program is 304 days (Bridge Shelter) and 28 days (Rapid Shelter). For those who exited in the last 14 days, the average was 461 days (Bridge) and 44 days (Rapid).
• FY25 expenditures to date include $819.1 million on direct shelter costs, $99.1 million on exits, and $46.3 million on other services. Projections estimate $822 million for direct shelter through the end of FY25, with a total FY26 EA shelter cost of $276.4 million.
• 1,070 individuals in EA are employed, and 1,160 migrants/refugees/asylum seekers have work authorizations. Reasons for homelessness include housing not meant for habitation (1,127 families) and domestic violence (294).

A link to the full report can be found here.