Salem State University to provide housing for homeless as Mass. experiences influx of migrants

Salem State University will provide temporary housing for the homeless, including both existing state residents and migrants arriving in Massachusetts, starting this month.

The plan approved by state housing leaders and local officials includes using former university residential units, which are now vacant, in the Bates Complex on the South Campus. The units are single or two-floor townhouses with various bedroom layouts, officials said.

State housing officials have contracted with Centerboard, a North Shore-based nonprofit, to manage the daily operation of the site. Centerboard will maintain a staffed, on-site office at the Salem State University Bates complex for the entire duration of this use.

Officials said the Department of Housing and Community Development will pay for the costs related to the site’s operation, but they did not give an amount.

All family shelter operations are paid out of the Department of Housing and Community Development budget line item 7004-0101, which in FY23 was funded at $219 million, according to the state agency.

“Salem is a welcoming and compassionate community,” Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, now the state’s Lt. Governor-elect, said in a statement. “We’re working closely with our state partners, with SSU, and with our School Department and other community stakeholders and agencies to help welcome these families and ensure they receive the support they need.”

Massachusetts has seen an influx of migrants in recent months.

In September, about 50 migrants were flown into Martha’s Vineyard. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at the time that he sent the migrants to the island, which is a popular vacation destination for thousands of tourists each summer, in protest against the rise of illegal immigration and to draw attention to what Republican-led states consider to be the Biden administration’s failed border policies.

Photos: Migrants land on Martha’s Vineyard

At issue in Massachusetts is the lack of affordable housing for existing families who are homeless, and this has put a strain on the state’s emergency shelter program, which does not have sufficient capacity to meet this demand, officials said.

As a result, state officials have been working with communities to temporarily house families, including migrants and existing homeless residents, at alternate housing sites until the system can stabilize and until they can find permanent housing.

State housing officials anticipate starting with a small number of families in late November 2022 and slowly increasing the number to approximately 50-60 families in all.

State exploring plans to house migrants on Cape Cod after they were flown to Martha’s Vineyard

“As the Commonwealth continues to see an influx of new arrivals and families experiencing homelessness, we have a statutory and moral obligation to create adequate family shelter capacity,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with Salem State University and the City of Salem as we address this crisis together.”

Use of the Salem State units will begin this month and will last until March 2024, officials said. The sale of the South Campus property is expected to close in spring of 2024.

“This vacant space allows us to help alleviate a humanitarian crisis, and we are happy to do our part in collaboration with the city of Salem, the Commonwealth and Centerboard,” Salem State University President John Keenan said in a statement.

Some of the homeless children may be enrolled in Salem Public Schools, officials said. Other children are already enrolled in other school districts in Massachusetts and will continue to attend those schools.

“Salem Public Schools is committed to educating all young people who live in the City of Salem.” Salem Schools Superintendent Stephen Zrike in a statement. “We are ready to embrace these incoming families into our community, schools, and classrooms and provide the support necessary for a successful transition. We are excited to welcome our new students who will most certainly enrich our school communities!”

Centerboard, a community-based organization on the North Shore for 33 years, will ensure families have food and necessities met, will provide access to resources and assist families with housing searches, officials said. It will also oversee contracted security at the site, and will provide maintenance of the site.

Salem State closed the Bates Complex earlier this year as part of long-time plans to sell South Campus and concentrate programming in the University’s campus core, officials said.

The proposed redevelopment project is expected to move forward as originally scheduled with a closing in 2024, officials said.

Anyone interested in helping to welcome families to the Salem State University Bates Complex are invited to contact Centerboard at connect@centerboard.org.

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