Massachusetts

Does Massachusetts’ right to shelter law need to change?

Published

8 months ago

September 27, 2023

Does Massachusetts’ right to shelter law need to change?

BOSTON – Michael Dukakis was the longest serving governor in Massachusetts history. He signed many bills into law. But the law everyone is talking about these days is the “right to shelter” law, which Dukakis made a law in 1983.

The law guaranteed emergency housing to homeless families and pregnant women. It did not include homeless individuals.

In defining eligibility, the law said a “resident” was “any person in the Commonwealth, even if they didn’t intend on staying permanently.” It also said, “a person who comes here solely for these benefits would not be considered a resident.”

I asked Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin if 40 years later, the law needs to be changed. “Do I think the law should be changed? I do,” Galvin said.

Mayor Galvin says in 1983, no one could have envisioned what’s happening today. Woburn is housing 150 migrant families in four hotels. There are 65 migrant children in the city’s schools with younger siblings on the way.

“When the law was passed it was to deal with homeless people who lived in the state at the time. Again, it was well intentioned. It served a lot of homeless people very well,” Galvin said.

For decades, the state has mainly used traditional shelters. The statistics we got, which start in 2009, show after the financial crisis, about 2000 homeless families were provided emergency housing. That number grew steadily long before the influx of migrants. It’s now more than 3500 in traditional shelters. The only dip was in the pandemic when fewer people were being evicted.

Families shelter Massachusetts — CBS Boston
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But the change in the number of families put up in hotels is staggering. In 2009, there were about 650 families in hotels. Two years ago, it was less than a dozen. And now there are almost 3,000 families in hotels. A majority of them are migrants.

By using the original requirements from 1983, how are they eligible? The state says you are not eligible unless you provide some type of acknowledgement that the federal government knows you are here.

Republican State Rep Peter Durant doesn’t think that matches the original intent of the law. So, he wants it scrapped or at least tweaked. “I think that we need to kind of just clean this up, we need to make sure that it’s specifically for those who need this help that are residents and citizens of Massachusetts,” Durant said.

Rep. Durant says the current price tag of $40 million per month cannot continue.

“They need a place, we certainly don’t want them out on the street but this law was never intended to just be a magnet for anybody that happens to come into the state,” Durant said.

Communities shelter — Massachusetts communities providing emergency shelter

CBS Boston

I asked Governor Healey’s office whether the law needs to be updated. I got a statement saying: “Right to shelter is the law, and the governor will review any legislation that reaches her desk. This law was established under very different circumstances from what we are experiencing today, and the current demand on the system is unsustainable.”

Sarang Sekavat is with the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, a group helping migrants get the services they need. He thinks the law is working exactly as intended.

“The idea has always been to help out families and really to make sure that children aren’t suffering when their parents fall are on hard times and that’s exactly what we’re seeing right now,” Sekavat said.

Mayor Galvin says his biggest issue is not all cities and towns are sharing the burden. It’s mainly the ones with hotels. There are 91 communities currently providing emergency shelter. There are 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. So, there are 260 communities who aren’t providing shelter.

“When I look around to communities around me, you know the area I’ve got Lexington, Wilmington, Reading, Stoneham, Winchester, they are not seeing any children in their schools,” Galvin said. “I think they all should be sharing in this challenge.”

If you have a question you’d like us to look into, please email questioneverything@cbsboston.com.

David Wade

Multiple award-winning journalist David Wade co-anchors WBZ-TV News at 5, 6 and 11 p.m. with co-anchor Lisa Hughes and chief meteorologist Eric Fisher.

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Massachusetts

Natick Resident Earns Prestigious MassBay Award

Published

1 hour ago

May 23, 2024

Press Room

Natick Resident Earns Prestigious MassBay Award

News release from MassBay Community College.

WELLESLEY HILLS, MA — MassBay Community College 2024 graduate Michal Grinis of Natick, MA, has been awarded the esteemed Foster Furcolo Award. This Award is presented annually to one graduate from each of Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges who exemplifies outstanding academic achievement, leadership and commitment to community service. The Scholarship is accompanied by a two-year scholarship covering tuition and most mandatory fees to attend the University of Massachusetts Boston.

The Foster Furcolo Scholarship is named after Massachusetts’ 60th Governor, John Foster Furcolo. Governor Furcolo was the first Italian American governor of the Commonwealth, an active promoter of community colleges, and a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1949–1952.

“This scholarship means the world to me because this is my future,” said Grinis. “I am thankful and proud, but was shocked when I received word I had been selected as the 2024 recipient because there were many qualified applicants. When I filled out my application, I thought it would be a slim chance I would be noticed. This shows the importance of sharing your story and raising your voice. Whenever you do that, you will stand out and someone will recognize your hard work.”

Grinis moved to the United States when she was 11 years old and faced numerous challenges when she and her family relocated for her father’s job, including learning a new language, meeting new friends, and navigating a new community. Her journey to academic success is a reflection of her resilient spirit and determination to reach her goals. Grinis considered various paths after graduating from Natick High, but following in her sister’s footsteps, she came to MassBay to find a career path.

“My family has been an instrumental support system, giving me the confidence to pursue my goals. My dad, in particular, has played a very important and inspirational role in my life. Without my dad’s foresight to come here and start from zero, to create a new life for our family, I would not be here.”

In addition to her family, Grinis credits her advisor for helping her rediscover her love for the law and helping her pivot her career track. “I initially came to MassBay to take classes for a year and then transfer, but I found a supportive community that wanted to help me succeed and find my passion in life. My advisor, Cheryl MacMillian, was always available and helpful in guiding me,” she said. “Also, with MassBay Transfer Advisor Karen Akukwe’s help with coordinating all the details to transfer to UMass Boston, I was able to reach my goals and move at my own pace to get where I wanted to be.”

Grinis will be graduating from MassBay in May with her Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Arts. She will transfer to UMass Boston to pursue a bachelor’s in political science with the goal of attending law school and becoming an attorney.

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Massachusetts

Massachusetts State Police arrest alleged drug traffickers in possession of multiple guns, magazines, ammunition

Published

8 hours ago

May 23, 2024

Press Room

Massachusetts State Police arrest alleged drug traffickers in possession of multiple guns, magazines, ammunition

State Troopers have arrested two Massachusetts men on a list of charges.

According to Massachusetts State Police, in the early morning hours of May 12th, Trooper Austin Rose was conducting traffic enforcement on Route 27 in Brockton as part of the SP Milton-Barracks midnight shift. While in traffic, Trooper Rose clocked a Toyota SUV travelling 10 miles per hour above the posted speed limit.

Trooper Rose conducted a traffic stop of the Toyota which had turned onto Westgate Drive and approached the operator, 20-year-old Jaziah Rivera of Weymouth. When asked by Trooper Rose if Rivera knew the speed limit, Rivera gave confused responses and handed Trooper Rose his entire wallet instead of his driver’s license. Trooper Rose also smelled an odor of burned marijuana emanating from the interior of the vehicle.

Trooper Rose asked Rivera about the contents of two bags in the rear seats of the vehicle. Rivera and a passenger of the vehicle agreed to show Trooper Rose the contents of the bags. After showing Trooper Rose the contents of the first bag, Rivera grabbed the second bag and tried stuffing the contents deeper into the zippered pockets. Rivera placed the bag on his lap and continued to manipulate what was inside without showing Trooper Rose. Uncertain of what could be contained inside and for the safety of those on scene, Trooper Rose removed the bag from Rivera’s lap and placed it onto the hood of the Toyota.

Now backed up by Trooper Autumn Mederios, Trooper Rose shined his flashlight onto the bag and was able to see a pistol magazine inside. The Troopers ordered Rivera and his passenger out of the vehicle and placed them into handcuffs. Neither Rivera nor his passenger possessed a license to carry firearms. Rivera and the passenger were secured in cruisers on scene.

With the discovery of the loaded magazine, Troopers Nathan Pereira, Matthew McCarthy, and John Buckley responded to Westgate Drive. Trooper Rose returned to the bag on the hood and removed a 30-round 9mm Glock magazine, and several digital scales with a white powder residue.

A search of the vehicle discovered a tan Glock 17 with an inserted 17-round magazine, a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun with an inserted 17-round magazine and round in the chamber, an additional 30-round 9mm magazine, two 17-round 9mm magazines, a 6-round 9mm magazine, thirty-nine 9mm rounds, and several bags of crack cocaine. An additional bag of crack was discovered on the passenger’s person, totaling nearly 19 grams within the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop.

Jaziah Rivera and his passenger, 18-year-old Jazavier Rivera of Brockton, were placed under arrest and transported to the Milton barracks to be booked, fingerprinted, and photographed.

Jaziah Rivera and Jazavier Rivera were arraigned in Brockton District Court on charges of Trafficking In Cocaine, Conspiracy To Violate Drug Law, Possession Of A Firearm Without FID, Possession Of Ammunition Without FID, Possession Of A Large Capacity Firearm During A Felony Offense, Possession Of A Large Capacity Feeding Device, and Carrying A Loaded Firearm.

Jaziah Rivera faces further charges of Possession Of A Large Capacity Feeding Device (Two Additional Counts) and Speeding.

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