NORTHBOROUGH – A nonprofit organization is taking over the emergency shelter at the Econo Lodge, Health and Human Services Director Isabella Caruso announced during the July 15 Select Board meeting.
According to a memo from Caruso to the board, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities has made the motel a permanent emergency assistance shelter that will be serviced by the shelter provider Making Opportunities Count (MOC).
Last July, approximately 30 families from South America and the Caribbean were placed in Northborough’s emergency shelter at the Econo Lodge. In January, seven of the families were moved to Making Opportunities Count’s site in Auburn. According to Caruso, the 22 remaining families have moved into their own apartments through the HomeBASE program and with the support of the Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance.
According to Vice President of Community Program Jeffrey Handler, MOC is a contracted emergency assistance provider, and their contract has specific obligations as to how their shelters will operate, including with regards to curfews and required services.
MOC will provide 24/7 coverage to the site. Vice President of Programs Colby O’Brien said that the organization has case managers, who will meet with the families and go with them through the process for rehousing. There are currently about 43 families at the site.
“The goal ultimately is to find these families permanent housing and help support them at work. Any benefits that they are eligible for, we’ll get them their benefits,” O’Brien said.
MOC will also support the families in terms of transportation, healthcare and food benefits. The organization will provide food on site via a catered meal and grab and go.
“We’re in the business to take care of people and support people. We establish pretty high standards in terms of what we expect,” said Handler. “Always in the beginning, going to a new facility, there’s a lot of work to be done, and that’s what we’re focused on right now. These are families that have been some of them traveling for years. There’s a lot of trauma here. We have a lot of experience with these families.”
MOC has a contract with Econo Lodge’s owner to manage the entire facility, and interested guests will no longer be able to seek lodging at the motel. O’Brien said there are five long-term guests, and MOC will work with the owners and these guests to support them.
When a family leaves the site, MOC will contact the state and another family will arrive.
“I look at it as those who are there through this program are Northborough residents, and we want to take care of them. We appreciate that the day-today is being taken care of because you are far more experts on this than we could ever be,” said Chair Mitch Cohen.
