There are many rules for residents who are in EA shelters. If you are a resident in an EA shelter, your family must not do any of the following:23
- Fail to attend a scheduled shelter interview without "good cause."24
- Behave unreasonably at a shelter interview.
- Fail to develop arehousing plan which is supposed to spell out the activities that adults in your household will perform so that you can find safe, permanent housing.25
- Fail to cooperate in the activities required by your family's rehousing plan, unless there is "good cause."26
- Reject one opportunity for housing that is safe and permanent, and takes into account critical medical needs and domestic violence issues.27
- Receive citations from a shelter for three or more violations of "reasonable" shelter rules, receive one citation for a violation of a hotel rule, or be ejected by a hotel for violation of a "reasonable" rule.28
- Pose a threat to the health or safety of residents, guests, or staff of the shelter.
The first time your family breaks any of these rules, DHCD will send you a written warning notice of non-compliance. The notice will tell you the reason you are in non-compliance, that another instance of non-compliance will result in termination of EA shelter, and that you can request a personal meeting with a DHCD worker to discuss the non-compliance.29If your family is sent this first warning of non-compliance, you may also, at the same time, be transferred to another shelter.30
If you think the finding of noncompliance is wrong, you should file an appeal, since two instances of noncompliance can cause you to be terminated from shelter and you may not be able to argue that the first noncompliance notice was wrong unless you appeal at the time you are sent that notice.
Endnotes
23 106 C.M.R. §309.040(E)(1).
24 In this regulation, "good cause" is defined as a death in the immediate family, an injury, or a sudden and serious emergency. 106 C.M.R. §309.040(E)(1)(a).
25 106 C.M.R. §309.040(D)(1) and (2).
26 In this regulation, "good cause" includes unavailability of suitable child care, and a family crisis or emergency such as illness, injury, or hospitalization. 106 C.M.R. §701.380.
27 106 C.M.R. §309.040(F)(1)(b).
28 Pursuant to 106 C.M.R. §309.040(E)(2), there is a presumption that any rules established by a shelter, motel, or hotel are reasonable.
29 106 C.M.R. §309.070(A)(3). A determination of non-compliancemay beappealed. See the section in this chapter called How Do You Challenge a Denial of Assistance?.
30 106 C.M.R. §309.040(E)(4).
Produced by Ruth Bourquin and Faye B. Rachlin Last updated March 2010