Healey terminates $1B shelter program, opponent claims ‘I warned you’

Closure of Hotel Shelters in Massachusetts Following Emergency Project

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy has announced the shutdown of all remaining hotel shelters in the state, coinciding with the official end of an emergency project aimed at addressing the influx of immigrants during the Biden administration.

In response, Mike Kennelly, a Republican candidate for the 2026 gubernatorial race and former housing secretary under GOP Governor Charlie Baker, urged the Democratic leadership to be more transparent about the situation.

Healy characterized her emergency measures as successful. Reflecting on her transition from Baker’s administration, she noted, “Families were in hotels across the state, some stuck in shelters for months, even years.” She emphasized that the previous approach didn’t reform the shelter system or effectively utilize taxpayer money, acknowledging that, well, hotels aren’t ideal for raising families.

In 1983, then-Governor Michael Dukakis established the only statewide shelter law to start alleviating immigrant housing issues. Healy and the Democratic Congress in Boston have since revised this law to impose a six-month limit on shelter stays, necessitating proof of residence and proper immigration paperwork, though there are some exceptions.

Kennelly has cautioned Healy about a “potential and looming immigration crisis,” claiming he formally warned her yet felt that she didn’t heed his advice. He recently criticized her for, as he puts it, “playing politics” during this immigration challenge and accused her of misleading immigrants and taxpayers.

Despite the closure of hotels for shelter, Kennelly insists that the crisis isn’t over, as expenses related to home-based programs and overspending continue. He promises that if he is elected, he will “audit and fix” the system.

His remarks follow a report that revealed Massachusetts residents collectively spent around $1 billion on the emergency shelter program this year, with immigrant families making up a significant portion of beneficiaries. The average cost per family is about $3,496 weekly, which translates to roughly $1,000 per person within the emergency assistance program, according to the state’s Department of Housing and Living Communities Enforcement.

A spokesperson for Healy responded to these criticisms, stating that she “inherited a disastrous shelter system” from Kennelly and noted that substantial advice has been scarce.

Healy is set to implement restrictions on lengths of stay in shelters, establish criminal history checks, and ensure residents confirm their Massachusetts residence and legal immigration status, aiming to transition families out of hotel accommodations.