Healey administration starts new reticketing program to address migrant overflow into Massachusetts

By Colette Lauture 

Governor Maura Healey’s administration rolled out a new approach to Massachusetts’ sharp increase in migrants seeking shelter. The state’s new reticketing program will book and cover costs for new families traveling by bus or plane who have the option to stay with friends or relatives in other states. 

Availability for the program extends outside of newly arrived migrants to families eligible for the state’s emergency shelter system. On top of migrant overflow, this initiative is also the result of years-long efforts to handle Massachusetts’ housing affordability crisis. 

Since March, over 60 families have opted into the new program, according to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. The state paid just under $86,000 for these families, which officials say is a significantly lower cost than if they were to be housed in shelters for nine months. 

The Healey administration also aims to make the number of families exiting the system higher. State data shows that as of last week, just over 7,300 families were in the system, coming close to Healey’s 7,500 family limit. While about half are staying in shelters, the other half are housed in state-contracted hotels and motels. Since the start of this year, just under 3,000 families have left the system, according to officials. 

The system strictly aims to shelter pregnant women and families with children. The Globe reported this week, however, that state officials have not done enough to address the health care needs of pregnant women in the system. Of the total number of families that sought shelter through the system over the past two years, nearly one in nine included a pregnant woman.

The reticketing program is optional. Families that have been reticketed so far have all been transported to locations within the United States.