Questions are set to be answered Thursday on the conversion of a former soldiers’ home in Chelsea into a migrant shelter. This all comes as the state announces how many millions of dollars they’re planning to spend to address the shelter crisis.
The migrant shelter crisis in Massachusetts is once again in the limelight, as the former Chelsea Soldiers' Home is set to be turned into a new temporary shelter.
The shelter can accommodate about 100 or so families when up and running, Secretary of Veterans Services Dr. Jon Santiago noted in a statement last month, and it's supposed to be opening this month.
The state is working with the local migrant support organization La Colaborativa — or the Collaborative in English — to make this possible.
The Chelsea Soldiers' Home was slated for demolition but given the need for additional space in strategic locations, the Healey administration believes this conversion is a no brainer.
The plan was made at the end of March and while announcing it, the Healey administration also said it will begin enforcing new eligibility rules for migrants staying in shelters.
One of those is as of May 1, migrants staying at safety-net sites will need to show they're working on getting authorized or trained to work in the country, apply for jobs, take English classes or search for housing every month in order to stay at the housing sites.
The policy doesn't apply to United Way of Massachusetts Bay-run sites.
If they don't produce those documents monthly, they will not be able to stay in a state-run shelter.
A meeting will take place at about 6 p.m. at the Chelsea Senior Center on Riley Way near Bellingham Square.
