Massachusetts HomeBASE Program Faces Funding Crisis Amid Shelter Closures

Boston,MA – As Massachusetts continues to close its remaining hotel shelters,the state’s HomeBASE rental subsidy program is grappling with a significant funding shortfall,potentially jeopardizing housing stability for thousands of families. housing advocates are warning that without additional funding from lawmakers, the more than 7,000 families currently enrolled in the HomeBASE program could face eviction.

Impending Evictions Loom as HomeBASE Funds Dwindle

Massachusetts housing officials completed the closure of 24 hotels used as emergency shelters on Monday, with the remaining four slated to close by the end of July. At the peak of the state’s shelter crisis, over 100 hotels were utilized to house migrant families seeking refuge in Massachusetts.

While the state continues to operate emergency family shelters in non-hotel settings, including 91 group sites and approximately 2,000 state-subsidized apartments, many families are relying on the private market, supported by HomeBASE subsidies. Approximately half of the 11,300 families who have exited emergency shelters in the past two and a half years have received assistance from HomeBASE, which provides renters with up to $30,000 over two years [[3]].

Did You Know? The homebase program was initiated in August 2011 by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community advancement [[1]].

Enrollment Surge and Budget Overrun Threaten program’s future

HomeBASE enrollment has increased fivefold, reaching nearly 7,800 families, according to recent state data. Despite this growth, the state is still enrolling people in the program, even with a projected $18 million budget overrun [State Budget Data]. The program was initially funded at $57.3 million for the fiscal year that concluded this week.

Chris Norris, Executive Director of Metro Housing Boston, expressed concern about the potential consequences if lawmakers fail to address the deficit. “If the money was to be exhausted and the assistance was to end, you would have a situation where owners then become responsible for evicting tenants,” Norris stated.

to prevent this scenario, lawmakers would need to allocate additional funding for HomeBASE through a supplemental budget, similar to how the Emergency Assistance shelter system was funded last year when expenditures exceeded budgets by hundreds of millions of dollars.

Pro Tip: Contact your local representatives to advocate for continued funding of the HomeBASE program.

New limits Implemented Amidst Financial Strain

In response to the growing financial strain, Massachusetts has implemented new limits to the HomeBASE program. The state is pausing an expansion that would have allowed renters to apply for a third year of assistance, providing an additional $15,000. Furthermore, more consistent annual income checks and improved data collection methods are being implemented “to better understand exit outcomes,” according to Massachusetts Housing Secretary ed augustus.

These new limits coincide with the closure of two dozen hotel shelters across massachusetts. The shelter population had roughly doubled by the end of 2023 due to an influx of migrant families, prompting the state to cap the number of families in shelter at 7,500 and limit the length of their stay. Residency requirements and legal immigration status rules were also implemented.

Migrant Population and Federal Policy Changes

State data indicates that the percentage of migrants within the total family shelter population has decreased significantly since the start of 2025, dropping from 53% in early January to 38% this week. However, many migrants could face challenges due to recent federal policy changes.

The Trump management ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 500,000 Haitians in late June. Advocates note that many Haitians placed in the Massachusetts shelter system previously held TPS status. Jeff Thielman of the International Institute of New england emphasized that starting in September, TPS recipients will no longer be eligible to work, potentially impacting their ability to secure stable housing.

How will the HomeBASE funding shortfall impact families in Massachusetts? What steps can be taken to ensure housing stability for vulnerable populations?

Nonprofit Organizations Assist with Shelter Transitions

Several nonprofit organizations operated the hotel shelters, including Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA), which managed 10 facilities in the Boston area. Lauren Easton, a senior vice president at CCA, stated that the group closed two shelters in April and the remaining eight on Monday. Over nearly two years, CCA hosted 1,400 families and helped nearly 1,000 secure permanent housing upon exiting the shelters.