Amendment #1694 to H5500

Access to Emergency Shelter

Ms. Decker of Cambridge moves to amend the bill in section 2, in item 7004-0101, in line 125, by striking out the following: “provided further, that the executive office may require identity and custody verifications needed to ensure the safety of children prior to placement into shelter; provided further, that the executive office shall verify, through third-party verification or otherwise, prior to placement in an emergency shelter, for each emergency housing assistance applicant, their: (A) identity; (B) Massachusetts residency; (C) relationship status; (D) pregnancy status; and (E) other eligibility requirements in this item and pursuant to 760 CMR 67.00 or any successor regulations; provided further, that the executive office shall not be required to provide shelter to families who are unable to provide required verifications pursuant to the previous proviso prior to placement” and inserting in place thereof the following: “provided further, that the executive office shall provide shelter on the same business day to any family who requests emergency housing assistance and has no immediate feasible housing alternative if the family has made a self-declaration of immediate need, unless the executive office possesses specific information confirming that the family is not eligible for emergency housing assistance; provided further, that if the executive office possesses such information that a family is ineligible for shelter, the executive office shall on that same day generate a written notice of denial including the reasons for the denial, the specific regulations supporting the denial, and an explanation of the right to appeal”; and further moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:

“SECTION XX. Subparagraph (3) of paragraph (G) of section 30 of chapter 23B of the General Laws, as amended by section 4 of chapter 1 of the acts of 2025, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure “6” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- 9.”

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #1694 to H5500

Access to Emergency Shelter