This state has a “right-to-shelter’ law. What this might mean for householders going forward.

Right now it appears that it’s optional. You can decide whether or not you take in strangers to your home. Back in August, Governor Maura Healey called for people to consider hosting migrant families as the sanctuary state was running out of places to stuff them. They even cancelled on military families scheduled for some R&R at the old Otis airbase (Now Joint Base Cape Cod) because they were putting immigrants into housing there.

These migrants are not considered to be illegal as they are being admitted to the country “lawfully” by the federal government. There were more than 7,500 families living in state-run shelters as of Tuesday, according to data maintained by Massachusetts’ housing office. There seems to be some relief coming as many of the recently-arrived migrants have work authorization – interesting as this usually takes months – and will be able to work and fill positions currently available in Massachusetts.