Migrant families now being housed in east side Malden motel

Six families, mostly from Haiti, are at EconoLodge on Broadway; National Guard on site to assist

By Steve Freker

Migrant families have been coming to Malden and many other communities around the nation in greater numbers for much of the past two years. On Wednesday, Malden Mayor Gary Christenson formally announced that the City of Malden has opened its doors to several migrant families with children, most of them coming directly from Haiti.

At present, there are six migrant families being housed at EconoLodge at 321 Broadway in Malden. There are 10 rooms now apportioned to accommodate the migrant families, and there are six children who now enrolled, or in the process of being enrolled, in the Malden Public Schools.

Additionally, the Mayor announced there are National Guard personnel on site at the EconoLodge in Malden from noon to 6:00 p.m. each day to assist in the migrant families’ living conditions. In his statement, Mayor Christenson confirmed, “The National Guard will have officers on hand who speak Haitian Creole and who will assist with coordinating food vendors, helping with medical and immigration appointments, and ensuring access to service providers, among other things.”

In housing these families, Malden joins some 80 other communities across Massachusetts in providing these living quarters, including Everett, Revere, Chelsea and Boston. Some of these provisions are related to the Massachusetts “Right to Shelter” law. Massachusetts is the only state with a law that guarantees families with children a place to stay if they meet certain criteria. A number of local and regional aid agencies have been actively working and helping to make sure the migrant families have adequate food, clothing and other necessities.

There was no word as of yesterday if and when more migrant families are headed to Malden.