As Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker promised, the number of homeless families living in hotels and motels on the state's dime has declined since he assumed office in 2015.
Public records show there were 538 homeless families staying in state-funded hotels and motels as of Monday. On Jan. 8, 2015 — the day when Baker was sworn in — there were roughly 1,500 families living in emergency housing.
To achieve the drop Baker placed an added emphasis on his predecessor's HomeBASE subsidy program, which provides up to $8,000 to vulnerable families for various housing expenses.
Homeless advocates say Baker hasn't yet solved the biggest underlying issue — a lack of affordable housing for low-income families that still remains.
