GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – In 2015, roughly 1,500 homeless families were living in hotels across Massachusetts. That number has dropped to about 500.
Greenfield Mayor William Martin told 22News many of the homeless families are finding their own housing. He said, “I know this personally with families taken on and moved into motels, and found permanent housing in Greenfield. They have told me that it’s so different, and some of the homeless families went on to stay here.”
Mayor Martin said that there’s just two homeless families living in a hotel in Greenfield now. That’s down from 50 families 2 years ago.
Greenfield’s homeless hotel population has been decreasing for the past couple years. “There’s more space for people to come; I know hotels were flooded before with homeless families and you couldn’t really move around in there. It’s good when you come and stay at night, people have more of a better stay I would say.”
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito told 22News why it’s so important to phase out homeless families in hotels. She said, “We feel there’s a better approach with helping people with transitional homelessness and to be able to stay in the communities which they have ties.”
Lt. Gov. Polito said she rather spend state dollars helping a person get on their feet, than pay for a hotel room. She hopes to fully phase out the use of hotel rooms for shelter by next year.
