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HD 6132

A communication from the Executive Office for Administration and Finance and the Executive Office for Housing and Livable Communities (see Section 10 of Chapter 1 and Section 88 of Chapter 73 of the Acts of 2025 and Section 19 of Chapter 88 of the Acts of 2024) submitting the April 30, 2026 biweekly report on the emergency housing assistance program

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

A bi-weekly update tracks EA program caseload, exits, outcomes, work, and spending, noting the shift from Rapid Shelter Track and efforts to improve efficiency and federal reimburs

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Bill Summary · HD 6132

Overview

HD 6132 is a Massachusetts bill, dated May 4, 2026, transmitting a bi-weekly report on the Emergency Housing Assistance (EA) Program. The report is provided by the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F) and the Executive Office for Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) to the Chairs of the Senate and House Ways and Means committees, pursuant to specific Acts (Chapter 88 of the Acts of 2024; Chapter 1 Section 10 of the Acts of 2025; Chapter 73 Section 88 of the Acts of 2025).

Main purpose and intent

  • To present a bi-weekly status update on the Emergency Housing Assistance Program, including caseload, exits, service provisions, and fiscal data, as of April 30, 2026.
  • To document program operations, capacity, outcomes, and progress toward goals set in statutory provisions and prior legislation.

Key provisions and data highlights

The memorandum lays out a structured set of datapoints tracked for EA, divided into categories with narrative context. Major points include:

Caseload and program status

  • Rapid Shelter Track has been deactivated; all Rapid Track programs closed.
  • Total families in shelters as of January 15, 2026: 1,490.
  • As of April 30, 2026, 51 additional families are in clinical/safety risk assessment (CSRA) sites.
  • Number of families applying for shelter: 502 (not all applicants are eligible).
  • From April 16–29, 2026, 252 families could not provide required verification; 24 families received a temporary verification waiver.
  • Reasons for placement in EA program (major categories include domestic violence, health/safety risk, eviction, housing instability, fires/floods, “other”): substantial diversity of causes with eviction and domestic violence among notable drivers.
  • Data constraints: some metrics (e.g., new “track” site data, DESE-reimbursed metrics) are incomplete or no longer tracked due to program changes.

Exits and housing outcomes

  • Exits from EA in the previous 14 days (April 16–29, 2026): 107.
  • Average length of stay in EA for exiting families (April 16–29, 2026): 225 days (specifics by shelter type noted).
  • Housing outcomes for exits: 40% to market rate housing; 16% to subsidized housing; 2% to other stable housing; 49% to other categories (including unknowns or unspecified outcomes).
  • Median and average lengths of stay in the EA program: median 106 days; average 125 days (as of 4/30/2026) with distribution by shelter type.
  • HomeBASE processing: median time from signature to approval decreased to under 7 days for the 4/16–4/29 period (down from 13 days in November 2024).
  • Hardship waivers: 4 families received hardship waivers between 4/16 and 4/29/2026.

Work authorizations and employment

  • Total number of individuals in EA with shelter who have work authorization or are otherwise documented for work: 420 (migrants and others with work permits included).
  • Total number of individuals in EA who are employed (as of 4/30/2026): 469.
  • Note: Counts exclude recently exited participants; data may fluctuate with exits and pending authorizations.

Fiscal data

  • Spending and funding: EA system expenditures include all spending from A&F reserve (Transitional Escrow Fund) and HomeBASE-related activity.
  • FY26 expenditures:
    • Emergency Assistance Family Shelters and Housing Services: $218.7 million (with $15.2 million attributed to a specific 7004-4778 line).
    • HomeBASE spending reported separately as part of 1599-2625; total HomeBASE spending to date included in “Exits” line at $136.6 million (with $45.5 million noted under 7004-4778).
  • Total FY26 GAA appropriation for EA shelters and services: $276.4 million.
  • Weekly average shelter program cost (FY26): about $1,201 per sheltering family.
  • Funded capacity: approximately 3,200 EA program beds/families (as per statutory maximum in Acts of 2025, Chapter 1 Section 8).
  • Federal reimbursements: A&F pursuing a revised 1115 waiver to maximize federal reimbursements. As of Dec 11, 2025, Massachusetts had collected $157 million in Federal Financial Participation (FFP) reimbursements since CMS approval in April 2024.

Who/what is affected

  • Families experiencing homelessness who seek shelter or housing assistance are directly affected by EA program operations, exits, and eligibility processes.
  • Providers and shelter sites (Bridge Shelters, TRCs, CSRA sites) are affected by program rules, site availability, and data reporting.
  • House/Senate Ways and Means committees receive ongoing bi-weekly fiscal and programmatic reporting to monitor EA program performance and funding utilization.
  • State agencies (A&F, EOHLC, DESE in relation to data tracking) are involved in program administration and reporting, including potential impacts from waivers and federal reimbursement changes.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • This document is a bi-weekly update transmitted under statutory authorities cited (largely related to Acts of 2024 and 2025).
  • Data are current as of April 30, 2026, with narrative explaining limitations and ongoing data collection challenges (notably around certain measures affected by the end of the Rapid Shelter Track and changes in track-specific data collection).
  • Expenditure and capacity figures reflect FY26 appropriations and reported spending through April 2026, with notes on HomeBASE and other assistive programs.
  • The report signals ongoing efforts to maximize federal reimbursements (1115 waiver) and notes current reimbursements accumulated to date.

Bottom-line interpretation

HD 6132 formalizes a regularly updated, data-rich briefing on the Emergency Housing Assistance Program, capturing caseload trends, shelter exits, housing outcomes, work engagement, and the program’s fiscal footprint. It underscores the transition away from Rapid Shelter Track, details current shelter capacity and throughput, and emphasizes ongoing efforts to improve efficiency (e.g., decreasing HomeBASE processing time) and maximize federal funding.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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