Background
The Healey-Driscoll Administration’s goal is to make sure that shelter is brief, rare, and non-recurring, while making the best use of funds and operations for the long term. The time limits are intended to support the goal of rapid rehousing. See the published report from the EA Commission that details these goals.
Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter will continue to be an essential safety net program for unhoused families in Massachusetts. The Administration wants every family in EA Family Shelter to have long-term success and independence.
Bridge Track: Video Summary of Policy
Video: EA Family Shelter 9-Month Length of Stay Policy Overview
Skip this video EA Family Shelter 9-Month Length of Stay Policy Overview .Policy Video Summary in other languages:
How will I know what my shelter stay limit is?
- Families will receive written notice that they need to leave shelter. Families will receive a letter at least 90 days before the date they have to leave. The type of letter your family could get is detailed below.
- Your family’s length of stay will be based on when your family entered Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter.
What kinds of official notices will families receive?
Families who have been in the Bridge Shelter Track for more than 9 months will receive one of these three notices:
- "Ineligible for First 90-day Extension": Your family is not eligible for an extension. Your family will need to leave shelter within 90 days.
- "Eligible for First 90-day Extension": Your family received a 90-day extension and can stay in shelter longer. But, you still have a date to leave shelter in the notice.
- "Notice of 9-Month Limit – Not Yet Selected For Exit": Your family has not yet been selected for termination. This is because the policy is being applied over time. Families will be chosen in small groups.
Where can I read the official Program Guidance for implementing this law?
- Read the Emergency Assistance (“EA”) Program Guidance on Nine Month Length of Stay Guidance on Nine-Month Length of Stay. This guidance was written by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC). It explains the processes for putting the 9-month limit in action. It includes how a family will be notified of their 9-month limit. Also, it discusses how eligibility for extensions and hardship waivers is decided.
How will my family know when we need to leave shelter?
- Families in the Bridge Shelter Track will be told 90 days before they need to leave EA shelter due to the new 9-month time limit.
- Families will be emailed notices. Providers will also give families a paper copy.
- Families who have an email address on file will get email reminder notices. EOHLC will send these emails 40 days, 20 days, and 10 days before the family’s exit date.
- Please make sure your shelter provider has an active email address for you and be sure to check your emails regularly for new information from EOHLC.
Extensions: Can my family stay longer than 9 months?
Families in the Bridge Shelter Track may have the option to extend your their shelter stay for up to two 90-day periods or 'extensions'. This is possible if you meet certain criteria listed in the law. See below for the criteria. This means there is a maximum of 180 days that a family’s time in shelter could be extended. In some cases, there is a possibility of a ‘Hardship Waiver’ after the two 90-day extensions. Details are below.
What do families have to do to get an extension?
- Families do not have to apply for extensions themselves.
- EOHLC will notify families if they are eligible for extensions based on our records.
- If a family is denied an extension, they will have a chance to provide additional information about their eligibility for an extension.
What are the criteria for extension?
EOHLC will use the following criteria, created by the Legislature, to determine which families will get up to 2 extensions of 90 days each. The information about whether your family qualifies for an extension will be gathered in your family's 60-Day Re-Housing Assessment (RHA). EOHLC may grant families extensions without checking their RHA if it is very likely that they meet the criteria.
A family may be eligible for an extension if:
- A family member is 9 months old or younger;
- A family member has a job or is participating in job training programs. This includes any authorized or approved training program, as defined in the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s guidance;.
- A family member qualifies as a veteran and is not enrolled in services specifically supporting veterans;
- The family is going to be placed in housing within the next month;
- The family wants to avoid educational changes for a child or children enrolled in public schools;
- A family member is pregnant or has given birth in the last 3 months;
- A family member has a diagnosed disability or documented medical condition;
- A family member is a single parent, stepparent, legal guardian or caretaker caring for a disabled child or family member;
- A family member is a single parent, stepparent, legal guardian or caretaker without enough child care to get or continue employment;
- The family is at imminent risk of harm due to domestic violence or child safety concerns.
Are families required to submit documents for their extensions?
- EOHLC may request documents to confirm a family’s eligibility for an extension.
How does the first 90-day extension work?
- First extension decisions will be provided in the initial 90-day notice letter to families. Families who receive their first extension may be eligible for a second extension if they continue to meet one or more extension criteria. See above.
- If your family does not receive a first extension, you have 14 days to work with your case manager to update your Rehousing Assessment. EOHLC will review Rehousing Assessments again after 14 days. Then they will notify your family of their final extension decision. Your shelter provider does not determine if you get an extension.
- We expect that most families who get a first 90-day extension will also get a second 90-day extension. That makes a maximum of 180 days of extension.
How can families get a second extension?
- Families will receive their second extension decision 45 days before their first extension runs out.
How do I file an appeal if I disagree with my extension decision?
- You can appeal if EOHLC sends you a letter denying you an extension.
- When to Submit: EOHLC must receive your appeal request within 21 days of the notice you are appealing, so make you submit in plenty of time.
- How to Submit: Appeals can be submitted by email, by fax, or by mail. Families should send both a copy of the notice they are appealing and the appeal form to:
- Email at EOHLCAppeals@mass.gov,
- Fax at (617) 573-1515, or
- Mail to MA HLC Hearings Division c/o LOS Appeals, 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA, 02114
- Extension Appeal Form
- Length of Stay Extension Appeal Request Form (click to download fillable pdf)
- Your shelter provider can support you in submitting these documents.
Who can get a Hardship Waiver?
If your family has certain medical conditions or safety risks (see below), you could be eligible for a hardship waiver. If your family is approved for a hardship waiver, you will be allowed to stay in shelter for an additional 120 days.
You will need to be assessed by a professional in order to confirm your eligibility. You can only apply after you receive both 90-day extensions. We will provide instructions when this happens.
You can get a hardship waiver if:
- You are up to date with all program requirements, including your 60-day Rehousing Assessments.
- AND
- You have already received your two 90-day extensions. This means that you must have a 007, 009, 012, or 013 notice.
- AND
- One of the following situations applies to your family:
- A family member is 9 months old or younger;
- A family member has an immunocompromised condition;
- A family member has a 3rd trimester or high-risk pregnancy;
- A family member needs a tracheostomy to breathe;
- Your family is at imminent risk of harm due to domestic violence and is actively taking steps to get help from a specialist support organization, or from law enforcement;
- The Department of Children and families has or child safety concerns about a child who lives in shelter with you.
How do I submit a Hardship Waiver Application?
- When to Submit: You can only apply for a hardship waiver in a certain window of time. Early or late applications will rarely be accepted, and only if you have a good reason.
- The earliest you can apply for a Hardship Waiver Application is 45 days before your exit date.
- The latest you can apply for a Hardship Waiver Application is 30 days before your exit date.
- How to Submit: You must submit your Hardship Waiver Application online. You can ask your EA Family Shelter for help with these instructions.
- Go to the Self-Service Document Upload Tool at https://applyhousinghelp.mass.gov/s/anonymousupload.
- Provide your Last Name and Family Case Number.
- Click the "Next" option.
- Click “Upload Documents" or drag and drop documents to upload your application form and any other supporting documents.
- Click "Done".
- Hardship Waiver Application Form
- Length of Stay Hardship Waiver Application Form (click to download fillable pdf)
- Your shelter provider can support you in submitting these documents.
How do I file an appeal if I disagree with my hardship waiver decision?
- You can appeal if EOHLC sends you a letter denying you a hardship waiver.
- When to Submit: EOHLC must receive your appeal request within 21 days of the notice you are appealing, so make you submit in plenty of time.
- How to Submit: Appeals can be submitted online, by fax, or by mail. Families should send both a copy of the notice they are appealing and the appeal form to:
- Online at https://applyhousinghelp.mass.gov/s/anonymousupload,
- Fax at (617) 573-1515, or
- Mail to MA HLC Hearings Division c/o LOS Appeals, 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA, 02114
- Hardship Waiver Appeal Form
- Length of Stay Hardship Waiver Appeal Request Form (click to download fillable pdf)
- Your shelter provider can support you in submitting these documents.
Can my family reapply to EA Family Shelter after exiting due to the 9-month time limit?
- Families can re-apply for the EA Family Shelter program if they have reached their 9-month time limit. How quickly they can return to shelter depends on the official priority process, which is based on factors such as health and safety, and the family's place on the EA Family Shelter Contact List. It also depends on if your family left shelter by their termination date.
- Families who do not leave shelter by their termination date cannot re-apply for EA Emergency Family Shelter for 12 months.
What should I do to get ready to leave shelter?
We have created this page that compiles resources your family can access.