Massachusetts Opening New Intake Center to Ease Shelter Pressure

By Alison Kuznitz

The Healey administration announced Friday it’s opening an intake center in Allston for families, particularly immigrants, experiencing homelessness, where they could be directed to temporary stays in townhouses at Joint Base Cape Cod.

Dubbed a “Family Welcome Center” situated at the Brazilian Worker Center, people can seek support to access “essential” supplies, services and transportation to shelter. Healey will activate up to 50 Massachusetts National Guard members to support local and state authorities at the base, the governor’s office said.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen a steady rise in shelter demand due to the rising cost of housing, more families arriving in our nation and our state from other countries, and delayed federal work authorizations,” Healey said in a statement. “Our administration has been working hard to meet this unprecedented need and use every resource at our disposal to help families.”

The administration plans to open similar facilities in “other areas across the state in the near future,” the governor’s office said. Health and Human Secretary Kate Walsh said the centers will alleviate strain on hospitals, resettlement agencies annd other organizations.

At the Allston center, staffers will determine families’ eligibility for housing aid and provide “efficient connection” to temporary and long-term shelter. It will be open from 4-8 p.m. on weekdays and from noon to 7 p.m. on weekends.

Food, baby formula and diapers will be available at the center, with expanded resources — including health services and help enrolling with MassHealth, the Department of Transitional Assistance programs, WIC and other aid — slated to be rolled out in the “coming weeks,” officials said.

The base on Cape Cod can accommodate up to 16 families as of Friday, though capacity could be expanded to 60 families, according to the administration. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency will operate a shuttle for families to access local resources and contract with vendors to provide shelter programming, cleaning, laundry and medical services, officials said.

“The townhouses at Joint Base Cape Cod provide a comfortable and private location for families to be in community, enjoy outdoor space, and access service providers, resources and amenities to meet their immediate needs,” Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said in a statement. “This is a temporary solution, but we are grateful to the Massachusetts National Guard and the service providers who are working hard to ensure we provide families with safe places to stay.”

Amid a surge of immigrants arriving to Massachusetts, which is a right-to-shelter state, former Gov. Charlie Baker last year had established a temporary emergency shelter and intake center at the Bob Eisengrein Community Center in Devens. The site, capable of housing up to 60 families or 125 individuals, was operated by MEMA.

Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus has said expanding the state’s emergency shelter system is a priority.

“It is clear that our housing crisis is pushing our most vulnerable families into precarious housing situations and increasing demand for emergency shelter. We have engaged in a cross-cabinet effort to recognize and address the needs of new arrivals and longtime residents who are unable to find affordable, safe housing,” Augustus said in a statement Friday. “The new Family Welcome Center and additional shelter at Joint Base Cape Cod will help us relieve pressure on our emergency family shelter system with an inter-agency response to meet the needs of residents and families.”