FEMA Awards Nearly $12.6 Million to Massachusetts for COVID-19 Sheltering Costs

BOSTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will send almost $12.6 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) for renting hotel rooms to use as non-congregate shelters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $12,596,877 Public Assistance grant will reimburse MEMA for setting up four regional non-congregate facilities throughout the Commonwealth by renting hotel rooms for low-income and homeless populations who tested positive for COVID-19:

• EnVision in Everett (101 rooms, from Sept. 23, 2020 through July 16, 2021);

• Hilton Garden in Pittsfield (95 rooms, from Dec. 2, 2020 through April 27, 2021);

• Holiday Inn in Taunton (155 rooms, from Nov. 20, 2020 through March 28, 2021); and

• Four Points Sheraton in Wakefield (140 rooms, from Jan. 18, 2021 through March 7, 2021).

The state also provided laundry service, cleaning service, and security service at the hotels.

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with these costs,” FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich said. “Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency. So far, FEMA has provided more than $1.2 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the Commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.