Massachusetts is grappling with a staggering $1 billion price tag for its emergency shelter program in fiscal year 2025, driven largely by an influx of migrant families, according to a June 16 report from the Massachusetts Executive Office for Housing and Livable Communities. The state has already spent $830 million since July 1, 2024, to provide shelter, food, education, legal aid, and case management for over 4,000 families. This translates to roughly $3,496 per week per family—or about $1,000 per person per week.
The Emergency Assistance (EA) system, which supports these families, has been stretched thin. Of the 4,088 families currently in the program, approximately 1,600 are migrants, though this number may be higher since many migrant families are classified as Massachusetts residents for eligibility purposes. The costs break down to $679.6 million for direct shelter expenses and $149.7 million for additional services like education, work programs, and National Guard security.
The state’s shelter system faced immense pressure during the Biden administration, with many migrants sleeping at Logan Airport as officials scrambled to set up temporary shelters, often in hotels. Currently, 599 hotel rooms across 28 locations are being used, a sharp decline from a peak of over 100 hotels. Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, has pledged to close all hotel shelters by the end of 2024, with the number of families in the EA system already dropping below 5,000. “Closing hotel shelters is essential to making sure that families are set up for success and to save our state hundreds of millions of dollars a year,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.
The report comes at a time when border crossings have hit historic lows, with the Trump administration’s border czar, Tom Homan, reporting just 95 illegal immigrants encountered by Border Patrol in a single day last month. This slowdown has eased the influx of new migrants into Massachusetts, but the financial burden remains a hot-button issue.
Republican gubernatorial candidates have seized on the report to criticize Healey’s leadership. Mike Kennealy, a former housing and economic development secretary, called the shelter system “unaccountable” and “broken,” arguing that taxpayers are unfairly footing the bill for a crisis that could have been better managed. Brian Shortsleeve, another Republican candidate, went further, accusing Healey of turning Massachusetts into a “migrant magnet” with generous taxpayer-funded benefits. “While families are struggling to afford everyday necessities, the state is shelling out $15,166 per family per month. It’s not just insane—it’s offensive,” Shortsleeve said.
On a positive note, the report highlights that 1,599 individuals in the EA system are employed, and 2,270 migrants have received work authorizations, suggesting efforts to help families become self-sufficient. Still, with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the state is projected to exceed $1.06 billion in shelter costs, raising tough questions about affordability and fairness for Massachusetts taxpayers.
As the state navigates this crisis, the debate over how to balance humanitarian needs with fiscal responsibility continues to intensify, with no easy answers in sight.