No Stimulus for the Homeless

By: James Shearer

The new regulations for homeless families being put into affect by the Patrick Administration are going to cut the budget for families by $4 million this year and $10 million next year. Meanwhile, the federal government is providing $17 million this year and $24 million next year for families with dependent children, but the state had decided not to use this money for the homeless. One beneficial revision to the regulations is that they now allow families to be considered for public housing who had previously left their housing if the families provide a plausible reason. The regulations have also been revised to allow minors to stay in shelters with their families, whereas before they could not.