By the numbers: Massachusetts sees drop in families needing emergency housing

BOSTON (WWLP) - The number of families who are in emergency housing in Massachusetts continues to decline, the state’s biweekly report indicates.

As of May 1, there is a total of 4,800 families assigned to shelters, on one of two tracks, the bridge or rapid. Both have the goal of making shelter stays rare, brief, and non-recurring, and aim to give families the resources they need to acquire stable housing and employment. 

• Bridge Shelter families are considered to have higher or more complex needs and are permitted to stay in traditional shelters for up to six months. There are 4,608 families currently in this system. 
• Rapid Shelter families are determined to have lower support needs and are permitted to stay in temporary shelter sites for up to 30 days. There are 192 families currently in this system.

The state is also working to transition families out of hotels and place them into safe and stable housing. Over the last 14 days, 1,2,12 hotel rooms have been in use for those in the emergency shelter system, and 196 have since been phased out.

Number of families in western Massachusetts emergency shelters:

Of the 4,800 families in shelters or hotels, 1,981 of those entered Massachusetts as migrants, refugees, or asylum seekers. In western Massachusetts, the following towns and cities have families in the Bridge track:

• Amherst: 5
• Chicopee: 35 (23 hotel rooms in use)
• Greenfield: 8
• Holyoke: 158
• Northampton: 2 (2 hotel rooms in use)
• Pittsfield: 14
• Springfield: 250
• West Springfield: 29 (28 hotel rooms in use)

Reasons for homelessness

• Domestic violence or abuse: 389
• Health and Safety Risk / Ask to Leave, Threatened Eviction: 999
• Housing situation not meant for human habitation: 1,742
• Fire, flood, or natural disaster: 29
• Asked to leave a Teen Living Program: 10
• Other: 1,220
• Eviction: 450

According to the report, the project costs for fiscal year 2025 will be around $1.064 billion.