Press Release: 5/20/2025

Governor Healey: All Hotel Shelters to Close This Summer

 

Plan to close hotel shelters is six months ahead of schedule, caseload projected to drop below 4,000 families this summer 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

5/19/2025

MEDIA CONTACT

Karissa Hand, Press Secretary

 Phone

Call Karissa Hand, Press Secretary at 617-725-4025

BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey is today announcing that her administration’s plan to close all hotel shelters is six months ahead of schedule, with the remaining 32 hotels expected to close this summer. Governor Healey had previously directed all hotel shelters to be closed by the end of 2025.

A new report shows that, as of April 30, only 32 hotel shelters remain, down from a peak of 100 in the summer of 2023, a 68 percent decrease. These decreases are a result of a number of reforms Governor Healey made to reduce caseloads and the cost of the state’s Emergency Assistance family shelter system, including a six-month length of stay requirement, workforce training and job placement for residents, and increased case management to help families find stable housing. The total number of families in shelter recently dropped below 5,000 for the first time since July 2023 and is expected to drop below 4,000 families this summer – six months ahead of schedule.

“When we took office, homeless families were being placed in hotel shelters across the state,” said Governor Healey. “A hotel is no place to raise a family, and they are the least cost effective. That’s why we implemented reforms to lower caseloads and the cost of the shelter system. We also promised to close all hotel shelters by the end of the year. I’m pleased that we are ahead of schedule, with more families getting jobs and moving to stable housing.”

“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. “We’re grateful to our team and partners for working so hard to help families leave shelter for stable housing, which is better for families and better for taxpayers.”

“We want to express our deep appreciation for the extraordinary work of the frontline teams, who are vital partners in supporting families throughout this crisis,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. “Shelter providers and their staff played a critical role in rapidly scaling up services to meet an unprecedented surge in need. Their dedication and agility ensured that thousands of families across the state had access to safe shelter and support at a time when it was most needed. We are also grateful to the communities and partners who have come together to support families throughout this emergency.”  

The report details the state’s history with turning to hotels and motels to shelter homeless families. In 2014, 1,500 families were being sheltered in hotels across the state. The previous administration turned to hotels again in 2022 as the number of families seeking shelter began to dramatically increase due to the housing crisis, failed federal immigration policy, and a lack of safeguards to control the expansion of the shelter system.

Due to declining caseload, the Norfolk Rapid Shelter located at the former Bay State Correctional Center and the Revere CSR site at the Revere Quality Inn will close this summer. Additionally, the Lowell Inn and Conference Center will transition from a Bridge Track shelter site to a Rapid Track shelter and CSR site in July.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration inherited two dual challenges when it arrived in office in 2023: an unprecedented surge of families seeking emergency shelter and a flawed shelter system that was ill-equipped to handle such a surge. To meet this unprecedented challenge, Governor Healey initiated a number of reforms to lower the caseload, reduce taxpayer costs and improve safety.

Governor Healey declared a state of emergency and imposed a cap on the system at 7,500 families in 2023. She also worked with the Legislature to reform the Right to Shelter law. That includes requiring proof of Massachusetts residency as well as the requirement that all family members have lawful immigration status, with limited exemptions. Governor Healey imposed mandatory CORI checks for all adults before entry into the system.

As a result of Governor Healey’s actions, caseloads and costs have decreased. The number of families in shelter dropped below 5,000 for the first time since July 2023. Since the start of 2025, double the number of families have exited shelter (approximately 2,500) than have entered shelter (approximately 1,100). Approximately 85-90 percent of families seeking shelter are now longtime Massachusetts families.