Letter to the editor: Addressing housing insecurity and homelessness in Massachusetts

Dear Editor, 

As a Social Work student at Bridgewater State University, I am appalled by the vast number of people facing housing insecurity and homelessness here in Massachusetts. 

Recently, there have been many federal changes to homelessness funding/support that threaten Massachusetts’ permanent housing services and resources, putting many at risk of losing homes and important resources to help them survive. 

Massachusetts is known to be one of the most expensive states for people to live in. Housing costs are constantly rising, shelters are being filled and overcrowded, and there are long waiting lists for Section 8 housing and resources. 

According to research from Mass.gov, there are not enough homes in Massachusetts to support those living here. 

There is low vacancy and high demand for homes that do not exist in our communities. An estimated 57,200 homes are needed to help overcrowded and “doubled up” families, which takes time and funds to produce. 

No one should have to experience homelessness. We are all deserving of a home to go, where we feel secure and protected from the outside world. 

If we continue to let this crisis grow, there is no backtracking; people are going to be without homes.

In order to battle this crisis, I believe that Massachusetts needs to invest more in the building of affordable housing and expand social service programs to provide resources for those in need. 

This may be a hard ask of the state as they would need to receive federal funds but that means we all must reach out to our state legislators, make them use their voices, and then we need to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. 

This issue will not go away without community efforts. 

Caitlin Quail