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Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter - Length of Stay Policy

There is a new 9-month time limit for families in the Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter program to transition out of shelter and into stable housing. This policy was signed into law in April 2024. This page for families living in EA Shelter has information on the law and how it will impact them.
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Background

The Healey-Driscoll Administration’s goal is to make sure shelter is temporary, supportive, and non-repeated. The 9-month time limit is intended to support this goal of rapid rehousing.

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.

Overview: Video Summary of Policy

Video: EA Family Shelter 9-Month Length of Stay Policy Overview

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Overview: What is the Length of Stay policy?

The Massachusetts Legislature has passed a new law. Families can only stay in the Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter program for 9 months. Under the new law, families will have 9 months to transition out of EA shelter and into stable housing.

When does the policy come into effect? 

  • The 9-month limit will be applied over time. It will not affect all families immediately.
  • The first set of written notices about when families will need to leave shelter will go out in July. A new group of families will receive written notice that they need to leave shelter every month after that.  Families will get the notice to leave shelter 90 days before the date they have to leave. The types of notices you could get are 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?

We will begin to send notices in early July. At that time, families who have been in shelter for more than 9 months will receive one of these three notices:

  1. "Ineligible for First 90-day Extension": Your family is not eligible for an extension. Your family will need to leave shelter within 90 days.
  2. "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.
  3. "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 each month.

Where can I read the official Program Guidance for implementing this law?

Timing: How will my family know when we need to leave shelter?

  • Families will be told 90 days before you 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 your termination 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 may have the option to extend your 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 review your family’s most recent 60-day Rehousing Assessment (RHA). They will decide your eligibility for an extension based on your most recent RHA.
  • The RHA is a document that you work on with your Case Manager or Housing Search Worker in one of your Re-Housing meetings. The RHA form has been updated to ask you if your family meets any possible extension criteria.
  • EOHLC will tell you in your initial 90-day notice to families if have given you the first extension based on the extension rules.
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.

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.
Are families required to submit documents for their extensions?
  • EOHLC may request more documents to confirm a family’s eligibility for an extension.

How do the two possible 90-day extensions work? 

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.
  • EOHLC will determine extensions using families’ most recent 60-day Rehousing Assessment. You must have an up-to-date 60-day Rehousing Assessment to receive an extension.
  • If a 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 must have a Rehousing Assessment updated in the last 60 days. If they meet at least one of the extension criteria screened for in the Rehousing Assessment, they will be given a second extension.

Hardship Waivers: Can families get more than the two 90-day extensions?

  • Families can submit for a Hardship Waiver after they receive two extensions.
  • Hardship waivers must be submitted at least 30 days before the date your family is required to exit shelter.
  • If a family receives a hardship waiver, they will remain eligible for shelter for up to an additional 120 days.
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. You will need to be assessed by a professional in order to confirm your eligibility. You can only apply after you receive your second 90-day extension. We will provide instructions when this happens.

You can get a hardship waiver if:

  • 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 or child safety concerns.

Appeals: How do I appeal an extension denial or hardship waiver denial?

  • Families can appeal the termination of their shelter benefits. Families can appeal when there are no more options available to extend their shelter stay.  You could appeal if EOHLC sends you a letter denying you an extension or 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 by fax, email, or mail. Families should send both a copy of the notice you 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
  • Appeal Form

What should I do to get ready to leave shelter?

We understand that moving from shelter to housing takes a lot of work.  You should work with your case manager to prepare to leave shelter and to move into stable housing.

The HomeBASE program can help you if you need help to pay housing expenses. HomeBASE can be used to pay for housing where your family lives alone, with a host, or with another family sharing a house. HomeBASE provides up to $30,000 over 2 years, with the possibility of another $15,000 over a 3rd year. You can learn more by speaking to your Case Manager or Housing Search Specialist or visiting the HomeBASE webpage.

Can families reapply to EA Family Shelter after they have exited 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.

Where can I get more information?

  • This webpage will be regularly updated, so please visit again for the most recent information.
  • If you need help understanding the 9 Month Length of Stay policy talk to your Shelter Provider staff.
  • If you need emotional or mental health support, you can call ‘Call2Talk’ at 508-532-2255. Call2Talk offers confidential and compassionate emotional and mental health support. It operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Translation is available.

What other resources are there to help my family? (job search, food, immigration, housing, etc.)

We have created a Resources for Families in the EA Program webpage that covers:

We will continue to add to this page, as more helpful resources are found. 

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