Governor Healey has announced new plans for a Massachusetts shelter policy following the seizure of large amounts of fentanyl and three assault weapons at a Revere Shelter in early January.

Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, 28, was arrested and arraigned in court on January 3rd and is  facing ten firearm charges and one count of trafficking fentanyl. 

The drugs and weapons were found in Sanchez's Revere Quality Inn room that had been serving as a Massachusetts State Shelter at the time. This arrest not only prompted Healey to propose more stringent legislation to help mitigate the issues regarding state shelters, such as threats of violence.

Healey’s proposed plans would mandate consistent inspections on all Massachusetts shelters as well as reducing long term sheltering from nine months down to six. To decrease the likelihood of events similar to the Revere arrest occurring, the governor aims to implement a check for all shelter residents against the “Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information,” also known as a CORI check. Such checks would ideally limit the chance of dangerous individuals inhabiting shelters. 

The plan also asks state legislatures for approximately $425 million in funding to help aid the efforts of the Massachusetts emergency shelter program. The plan aims to increase security and safety at the shelters during a time of turmoil

The homelessness crisis and use of shelters has been at the forefront of local debate as of late, with some believing it is necessary to cut down largely on use of shelters and others arguing that the plan proposed by Healey is unrealistic and unreasonable. 

Kelly Turley, a leader of the Massachusetts Coalition of Homelessness, argues that it takes longer than six months for those in shelters to secure stable housing. She argues it would be more beneficial to all would be focussing more on long term solutions while also providing services for those in need. 

Some Massachusetts hotels have been converted into shelters following the uptick in migrant families seeking refugee in the state. In her plan, Healey aimed to cut down on usage of hotels and motels for emergency services, claiming that Massachusetts is “not a sanctuary state” and the services being provided currently have become “increasingly unsustainable.” 

The governor also called upon Congress to act, stating that the Revere incident “further underscores our broken federal immigration system and the urgent need for Congress and the White House to act on a border security bull to prevent criminals from entering our communities.”