MA S988

Requires the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to conduct a predictive study of future shelter and housing demand within one year, calculating housing and shelter capacity for every municipality based on population ratios.

Establishes a five-year implementation plan to prioritize building permanent supportive housing and non-congregate shelters to supplement or replace existing congregate (dormitory-style) shelter programs statewide.

Mandates an inventory of existing congregate shelters, their costs, and a feasibility study on converting them to non-congregate shelters or permanent supportive housing.

Requires development of housing responses specifically for unaccompanied homeless adults, including long-term vouchers, shallow subsidies, rapid re-housing, and permanent supportive housing, with priority given to elderly, disabled, medically complex, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

Directs consideration of alternative construction models such as modular construction, micro-units, and repurposed hotels to create affordable homeless housing solutions.