BOSTON — As the state moves into a “new phase” of its ongoing emergency shelter crisis, Gov. Maura Healey is turning to a Southampton resident for help.

The governor announced Monday that she has appointed Lt. General Leon Scott Rice, former director of the Air National Guard and adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard, as a new emergency assistance director. Rice will take the job to “work across our incident command structure in a close collaboration with local officials and stakeholders,” Healey said at a press conference Monday.

Healey warned at that gathering that Massachusetts may not be able to guarantee shelter for immigrant families as soon as the end of this month as the state’s shelter system reaches capacity, though it’s right-to-shelter law will remain in place.

There are close to 7,000 families (close to 23,000 people) enrolled in the state’s emergency shelter system, Healey said Monday — over double the number of individuals enrolled at this time last year, and even up significantly from the 5,600 families being housed when Healey declared a state of emergency in August.

“We do not have enough space, service providers or funds to safely expand beyond 7,500 families, we expect to hit that limit at the end of the month,” Healey said during a press conference in Room 157 of the State House. “From that point on, we’ll no longer be able to guarantee shelter placement for new families entering.”

In an effort to move some people out of shelters, Healey also announced steps to place migrants in housing and jobs.

The administration is shifting its strategy to prioritize access to the home-base rehousing program, rental assistance, and private sponsorships for families who’ve been in shelter the longest, Healey said.

She expressed confidence in Rice.

“Lt. General Rice has extensive experience leading large scale emergency management operations, and we are confident he is the right person to lead us through this new phase of the emergency shelter system,” Healey said in a statement.

In his role as emergency assistance director, Rice will oversee management and coordination of the emergency shelter system, including leading the administration’s Incident Command Team, which was launched in May and includes representatives from multiple state agencies.

He will be responsible for implementing this new phase of the emergency shelter system, coordinating directly with local, state and federal officials and other key stakeholders, and updating the governor and lieutenant governor on daily developments.

Rice has more than 40 years of experience with the United States Air Force and Air National Guard, retiring as a lietuent general and disabled veteran in 2020. He was the director of the Air National Guard from 2016-2020, managing a $11.5 billion budget and more than 100,000 personnel located in every U.S. state and territory. He also served as the adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard from 2012-2016, across two gubernatorial administrations. In this role, he led emergency response and post-disaster recovery efforts for Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Irene, the Boston Marathon Bombing and ice storms.

“It is important to me that our state succeeds in meeting this humanitarian challenge. I’ll bring all my values and all I’ve learned to bear on this crisis,” Rice said. “We will be responsive. We will be transparent and trustworthy in everything we do.”

General Frank Grass, former chief of the National Guard Bureau and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff while Rice led the Massachusetts’ guard, said he worked with Rice during the Boston Marathon bombings.

Grass praised Rice, saying he embodies the Air Force’s core values of “integrity, service before self, and excellence.”

“A hard thing for military folks sometimes in the homeland, is that you’re always in support of someone else — a civilian agency. And Scott has mastered that. He’ll work with them and figure out who is in charge, and he’ll tell you, ‘I’m not in charge. I’m here to support you. Let’s put this together in a collaborative effort,’” Grass said.

State taking action

At over 23,000 people, the rapidly growing number of people in emergency shelter housing has now exceeded the population of 262 of the 351 municipalities in Massachusetts, based on 2020 census data.

Starting Nov. 1, the state will not add any new shelter units, the administration announced. At that time, families seeking shelter will be assessed, and those with higher needs will be prioritized for placement. Those who do not immediately get placed in housing will be added to a waiting list.

The governor said her administration is not making any move to end Massachusetts’ “right-to-shelter” law, but will not be able to fulfill it when the system reaches its max capacity.

The 1983 law makes Massachusetts the only state in the country that has a legal obligation to shelter unhoused families.

Healey also revealed a shifting strategy in her administration’s approach in the crisis.

Since the summer, the governor has been calling on the federal government to intervene to speed work authorizations and provide financial assistance to create more shelter space.

But just days after Massachusetts got a visit from a U.S. Department of Homeland Security team, who came to the Bay State to get a closer look at the ongoing emergency shelter crisis, Healey said on Monday “we are not waiting any longer.”

“As we have said many times, we need the federal government to more quickly process work authorizations for new arrivals. They want to work. They want to support their families and we have thousands of open jobs going unfilled here in our state. So we are not waiting any longer. We are connecting as many shelter residents as we can to work opportunities,” Healey said.

The MassHire State Workforce Board will begin working with shelters and employers to match new immigrants who are eligible to work with jobs. Healey said MassHire South Shore has begun working with Dunkin Donuts to connect shelter residents to 30 open jobs.

The first phase of this new program is focused on 14 shelter sites, which house about 1,500 families, according to the governor’s office.

The state is also developing a new job training initiative with the nonprofit arm of the Commonwealth Corporation Foundation.

The administration will also focus on expanding the HomeBASE rehousing program, which helps eligible homeless families pay their first and last month’s rent and security deposits, as well as other moving expenses that can be barriers to housing.

Healey said her administration will also support private sponsorships for families who’ve been in shelter the longest. Families who have been in shelters for longer than 15 months will be prioritized for finding a way to exit the temporary housing system.

The new program also focuses on legal services for new immigrants, and on Tuesday will launch a pro bono program with immigration organizations to provide services for over 100 families at large shelters. Later in October, the administration will begin contracting with five legal services agencies to provide services in 25 shelter sites across the state.