Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is now pushing the panic button, and gently trying to extricate herself from a crisis she helped create.
Healey’s claim that the state will soon reach a limit and will not be able to house more than 7,500 migrant and homeless families raises more questions than it settles.
What will they do with the rest of the migrants that continue to pour into the state? Because it’s not going to stop just because Healey says we can’t take any more.
Will they live on the streets? In homeless shelters? Police stations? Hospital emergency rooms? College campuses?
Are they going to stay here indefinitely? Will we house them forever and pay for their services?
All Healey said was that the state will help families “move into more permanent housing.” But what if they can’t find it?
Healey said by the beginning of next month, the state will not add any more shelter units and those who aren’t placed into housing will be on a waiting list. Where exactly will that waiting list live? Under Massachusetts law — a law Healey said she will not change — the state has a legal obligation to provide housing to those who need it. Will the state then be violating its own law? It appears so.
“For months now, we have been expanding shelter capacity at an unsustainable rate to meet rising demand,” Healey said “Despite the heroic work of public officials, shelter providers and the National Guard, we have reached a point where we can no longer safely or responsibility expand.”
“Heroic efforts” by public officials? Refusing to deal with the problem for months is the opposite of heroic. The state Legislature hasn’t even yet approved the $250 million requested by Healey for shelter services.
The Democratic governor’s comments on Monday are a stark turnaround from the welcome mat the state put out initially for migrants – contracting with dozens of hotels to house them for an unlimited period of time.
Oh, and don’t forget that absurd call for Massachusetts residents to give a room to a migrant. Did a single person take up Healey’s plea?
Instead of taking a bold stand at the beginning and saying we can’t do it, or changing the right to shelter law, she punts and welcomes everyone coming in.
Now she’s changing her tune because she realizes what a disaster she created.
Now it’s political panic time and pass the blame on to the feds.
Healey won’t take any accountability for the state’s liberal policies and instead points to the Biden administration and Congress for creating the migrant problem. Or taking too long at granting work permits.
This is not an example of profiles in courage by Healey or anyone else. The only heroes are the human service providers selflessly trying to make sure homeless families are not out on the streets.
