Report recommends more security in Massachusetts emergency shelter system

State officials are promising to implement safety recommendations outlined in a new report about security in Massachusetts' beleaguered emergency shelter system.

The report released Friday from former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis recommends a host of changes in the system that houses more than 5,600 families across the state. They include tightening the shelter intake process and instituting clearer policies about conducting and reviewing background checks.

"There are opportunities to strengthen security protocols enforcement and make policy adjustments to ensure the overall safety of the entire shelter community," the report said.

Gov. Maura Healey hired Davis' company in January to review the shelter program’s security protocols after a man without legal status was arrested on gun and drug charges in a Revere hotel shelter site.

In his 30-day review of the system, Davis found that some shelter sites lack security. Room inspections are often done weekly and with prior notice given, while some sites lack formal policies to identify the residents staying there or their visitors, according to the report.

The report also found there is not clear communication between the state and shelter providers about results of background checks under CORI (Criminal Offender Records Information) or SORI (Sex Offender Registry Information). Healey began requiring background checks in January and Davis' report said since then, no one with a criminal record has been placed in the system.

According to the report, the number of "serious incidents" reported in the emergency shelter system rose by 788% between 2022 and 2024. The report urges the state create uniform security protocols across the system.

"While approximately half of hotel sites have private security, scattered sites
have little to no security presence," the report said. "These inconsistencies raise concerns about the effectiveness and standardization of security measures and uniform security training across providers."

The report's recommendations also include having staff on-site around the clock; creating uniform policies about screening and room searches; creating rules limiting or excluding people convicted of or facing charges for serious crimes; and creating separate shelters for immigrant families.

Healey said the state and shelter providers have already started implementing many of the recommendations as officials continue to try to reduce the number of people in shelters. The governor's office said the shelter population has dropped by 22% from the levels in 2023 and 2024, and more than 75% of families seeking shelter are Massachusetts residents.

The governor released the report the same day she signed legislation to provide $425 million in supplemental funding for the shelter system. The bill also requires background checks for those entering the system and caps the number of families in the program at 4,000, down from 7,500.

“This supplemental budget includes critical improvements that I proposed to reduce the taxpayer costs of the family shelter system and make it safer for residents and our communities," Healey said in a statement. "We’re grateful for the hard work of the Legislature for passing this important bill and to Ed Davis and his team for their review of the security of our system — and we're ready to get to work on implementation."

The state Republican party criticized the bill Healey signed Friday and said the changes will not effectively address the issues in the shelter system, which is expected to cost the state more than $1 billion this fiscal year.

"This is yet another example of Democrats prioritizing politics over public safety and fiscal responsibility," said MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale in an emailed statement. "They claim this supplemental budget includes reforms, but in reality, these so-called changes are purely for show. "

The state will pay Davis' company up to $175,000 for the report and to help implement its findings through August.