BOSTON (WWLP) – A last-minute move by the Healey Administration delayed a judge’s decision on the future of the state’s Right to Shelter Program on Tuesday, setting up more court action on Wednesday.
Just six minutes before a judge in Suffolk Superior Court made their ruling on whether or not the Healey Administration could set a cap on the number of migrant and homeless families it could house, the Governor filed a new emergency amendment, putting their desire to set a cap in writing.
The judge, in response, delayed their ruling on whether or not the administration had the authority to make those changes until Wednesday.
This is all part of a class action lawsuit brought by Civil Rights Lawyers Boston arguing the administration did not follow proper protocol or leave enough lead time to cap the number of emergency-housed families. Tuesday’s emergency regulatory amendment formally introduced that cap of 7,500 families taken care of by the $325 million budgeted for the shelter system this year.
The administration argues that the level of funding is already woefully inadequate, and says the cap is a safety issue to ensure that those families in the system are taken care of.
Duncan MacLean is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2019. Follow Duncan on X @DMacLeanWWLP and view his bio to see more of his work.
