Massachusetts is turning a former prison into a shelter for homeless families

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is turning to a former prison as a temporary safety net shelter for families experiencing homelessness, a surge fueled in part by an influx of migrants to the state.

The Bay State Correctional Center will help house families on the waitlist for state shelter. It was decommissioned in 2015 and remains in good condition, officials said. The state prison population has fallen by nearly half in less than a decade.

The facility can accommodate about 140 families in dorm rooms with bathrooms and showers on each floor. It also has a cafeteria, a gymnasium, a large common room, and offices that will be used for case management and administrative activities.

“The site will be set up with play areas for children, as well as classroom spaces for adults to engage in activities that support pathways to stability such as ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes, job training courses, and housing search workshops,” Emergency Assistance Director Scott Rice said in a statement.

Very good!（8）