Transforming Spaces – Former Massachusetts Prison To Become Shelter For Homeless Families

Boston, Massachusetts – In response to the rising number of homeless families in the state, which is partly being caused by immigration, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is using a former prison as a temporary safety net shelter.

Families waiting on state shelter will receive assistance from the Bay State Correctional Centre in finding housing. Officials stated that although it was decommissioned in 2015, it is still in fine shape. It has taken less than ten years for the number of inmates at state prisons to drop by almost half.

With dormitory rooms with showers and restrooms on every floor, the facility can house roughly 140 families. Along with offices for case management and administrative tasks, it also features a big common area, a gymnasium, and a restaurant.

“The location will be equipped with kid-friendly play zones and adult-focused classroom areas where they can participate in activities that promote stable paths, like job training programs, ESOL classes for non-native speakers, and housing search seminars,” stated Scott Rice, the director of Emergency Assistance, in a release.

Leaders in the facility’s hometown of Norfolk, Massachusetts, stated in a statement on Monday that they were not consulted before the decision.

The former prison was classified as a temporary refuge, according to Norfolk officials, who said the town was notified on Friday. The community was not consulted beforehand, they argued, and it had no say in the decision.

In a Saturday speech, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll informed town authorities that the shelter will be run by a provider chosen through a competitive bidding process by the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

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By the next month, the state says, the site ought to be operational. Families will be able to come and go as needed from the facility since the razor wire on the fence encircling it will be taken down and the gates will stay open.

The shelter can accommodate a maximum of 140 families, meaning that it can accommodate 450 individuals who are qualified for emergency aid. stated officials. Logan International Airport is where a few of the families have been billeted.

Administrators stated that the shelter should be open for business between six months and a year.

By the state’s right-to-shelter statute, safety-net locations such as the former prison are meant for pregnant women or homeless families with children who are waiting on a waitlist for emergency aid. New immigrants make up over half of the families in Massachusetts who require emergency help.

The emergency shelter scenario is causing students to unexpectedly arrive in school districts, which will cost money. Healey officials say the state is helping cover this cost.

Town authorities in Norfolk announced their intention to meet with state representatives on a frequent basis to ensure that the town’s issues are taken seriously and to jointly develop solutions that would serve the town’s interests.

As the state deals with a rise in homeless migrants, Massachusetts will start imposing time limits on how long homeless families can remain in shelters.

According to a supplemental budget that state lawmakers passed and signed by Governor Healey last month, the maximum duration of stay will be nine months starting on June 1. After that, families will be eligible for up to two 90-day extensions.

Some places, like a recreation center in Boston, were converted into makeshift shelters.