The state is trying to help those already housed through the shelter system move into permanent solutions, but they require federal help for work authorizations and other needs.
The shelter system in Massachusetts is about to be overrun, and local communities are feeling the pinch on their resources.
While Gov. Maura Healey is capping the number of families at 7,500 as the state’s shelter system reaches capacity, some communities that are currently hosting migrants are overwhelmed.
Officials in places like Methuen and Lowell said they don’t have the resources necessary to care for incoming families, while other communities like Norton complained of a lack of communication. Greenfield officials said things are running smoothly, but echoed Healey’s call for the federal government to step in.
Methuen police confirmed Tuesday that they have received more than 380 calls to the Days Inn since hundreds of migrants moved in last year. That’s more than double the number of calls from the year prior.
“I believe we are on the brink of a crisis,” State Rep. Francisco Paulino said Tuesday. “When you have so many people packed together, you’re going to have issues. They’re frustrated. They can’t go out and work.”
Lowell City Councilor Corey Robinson is worried about the same happening in his city since he learned the state is considering using UMass Lowell’s Inn and Conference Center as a temporary Shelter:
“Right now, the timing is very tough,” Robinson said. “It’s going to be a delicate balancing act that’s going to require state and federal resources to help local communities in this transition. And so far, the line of communication has been horrible.”
A lack of communication is the number one complaint from Norton Town Manager Michael Yunits, whose community is caring for 42 adults and 33 children.
“My biggest frustration from the beginning was that we received no notice from the state about anything,” Yunits said.
Greenfield Mayor Roxanne Wedegartner said she had a few hours’ notice about incoming migrants through personal call from Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll in May. Around 50 families have been staying at the Days Inn there since.
The state is trying to help families already in the shelter system exit faster through housing and job programs, but a lot of people can’t work without that federal authorization. Wedegartner echoed the governor’s call for the federal government to step in.
“What we need is some relief with regard to work permits,” Wedegartner said. “These folks come here to work many of them are skilled in various ways and that’s how they will become independent and can move out of the shelters.”
