MetroFuture supports the vision and objectives of the Massachusetts Commission to End Homelessness. Far fewer individuals and families would be homeless, and those who do experience homelessness would do so for a much shorter length of time. There would be many fewer “chronic shelter stayers” who account for a disproportionate share of shelter utilization.

Currently, there are 24,000 homeless individuals and 5,000 homeless families in Massachusetts, with hotspots of homelessness in the Inner Core and Regional Urban Centers. “Chronic shelter stayers” comprise less than 10% of the State’s homeless individuals, but account for 50% of nightly shelter bed utilization and consume a disproportionate share of the system’s resources. Because the current system does not provide long term housing stability or coordinated services, many families and individuals cycle in and out of the system repeatedly, including 25% of the State’s homeless families that have minimal needs other than affordable housing or short-term economic support.

Objectives:

• The number of homeless individuals and families in the region will decrease by 90%.
• Demand for Department of Transitional Assistance family shelter inventory will be no more than 400 units statewide.
• Demand for Department of Transitional Assistance individual shelter inventory will be no more than 250 units statewide.
• Average length of shelter stays would be no more than 30 days for both individuals and families.
• Fewer families and individuals will have repeated periods of homelessness.