Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

A Family's Place  280-290 Oak St.  Holyoke, MA 01040  413-272-2201, 413-272-2208  Total Capacity: 29 families. Services: Advocacy; referrals for clothing; medical care; counseling. Languages: Spanish Restrictions: Requires sobriety on premises. Admissions Process:  Requires a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development.

Friendly House * 87 Elm Street Worcester 01609 508-792-1799 Community Rooms: 2 Total Capacity: 13 beds for men and women. Services: Advocacy; referrals; handicap access. Restrictions: Admissions Process: Individuals can self-refer for community rooms; otherwise, referrals through the Department of Housing and Community Development are needed. People must call back to check for availability.

Shepherd's Place/Willis Center 54 Queen Street Worcester, MA 01610 508-757-5198 Total Capacity: 8 beds for men and women. Services: Advocacy; counseling by referral; community kitchen; clothing if available; day program; transportation. Languages: Spanish Restrictions: Requires that sobriety has been achieved for a minimum of 6 months.; no boys over the age of 13; no active domestic abuse or substance abuse. Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Medway Family Shelter  17 Holliston St.  Medway, MA 02053  508-533-1487 Total Capacity: 12 beds among families.  Services: Counseling; 3 meals; some clothing; handicap accessible, referrals. Languages: Spanish Restrictions: Requires sobriety.  Admissions Process:  Requires a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development.

Pathways Family Shelter (SMOC)  248 Edgell Road  Framingham, MA 01701  508-879-5047  Total Capacity: 13 beds among teen families. Services:  Advocacy; counseling community kitchen; food 3 meals/day clothing by referral; limited transportation; storage facilities. Restrictions:  Only accepting teen families; sobriety is required on the premises; a 12am curfew is in effect on weekends. Admissions Process:  Requires a referral from the Department of Transitional Assistance to get an Emergency Assistance bed.

South Middlesex Opportunity Council  300 Howard St.  Framingham, MA 01701  508-872-0765, 508-620-2623  Total Capacity: 30 beds among families in scattered sites. Services: Spanish; advocacy; counseling; referrals. Waiting list: Yes.  Restrictions:  Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Transitional Assistance and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Boston Family Shelter  656 Mass Ave.  Boston, MA 02118  617-267-8081  Total Capacity: 7 families. Restrictions: Curfew: Sun-Thurs 9pm; Fri-Sat 11pm. Services: Information & referral; counseling; day care; advocacy; housing and job search.  Admissions Process:  Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development for an Emergency Assistance bed.

Bridge House  24 Baker Street  Lynn, MA 01902  781-593-3898  Total Capacity: 11 families. Services: Advocacy; counseling by referral; medical care; day programs; transportation. Restrictions: Participation in chores is required.  Curfew: Weekdays: 10pm; Weekend: 12 am. Admissions Process:   Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for an Emergency Assistance bed.

Cambridge YWCA Emergency Family Shelter  7 Temple / 3 Bigelow  Cambridge, MA 02139 617- 491-6050  Total Capacity: 10 families.  Shelter has 2 different locations. Services: Advocacy; referral; some clothing; counseling. Languages:  Spanish; Haitian; Bengali. Restrictions: Boys up to the age of 12 allowed. Admissions Process: Must be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Children's Services of Roxbury  11 Roxbury St Roxbury, MA.02119  617-989-1093 Total Capacity: 105 beds (among families) in the Scattered Sites and 21 beds (among families) in the congregate location. Services: Advocacy; case management; housing search; education programs. Languages:  Spanish; Haitian Creole Restrictions: No history of violent behavior; no head of household over the age of 21. Admissions process:  Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Casa Nueva Vida 53 Glen Road PO Box 2115 Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 617-524-6332 Total Capacity: 16 families. Services: Advocacy; counseling; some clothing; education & English classes.  Language: Spanish Restrictions: Curfew: Sun- Thurs. 9pm and Fri-Sat 10pm. Referral: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Crittenton Hastings House (Women’s Union) 10 Perthshire Road Brighton, MA 02135 617-782-7600 Total Capacity: 58 beds (among families) in the congregate shelter; 59 beds (among families) in the community based shelter. Services: Advocacy; counseling; 3meals/day; clothing if available; handicap accessibility; van transportation (to jobs).  Languages: Spanish; Haitian Creole. Restrictions: Curfews vary depending on location. Admissions Process:  Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development or the Department of Transitional Assistance and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Crossroads Family Shelter* 56 Havre Street East Boston, MA 02128 617-567-5926 Community Rooms: 1 Total Capacity: 12 beds for families.  Services: Advocacy; counseling; community kitchen; clothing; nurse; day program; transportation; 3 meals; workshops. Languages:  Spanish and French: Restrictions: No drug or alcoholic use. Curfew:  9:30pm curfew on weekdays; 11pm on weekends. Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development for Emergency Assistance beds or from the Travelers Aid Society for community room.

Cross Street Family Shelter 59 Cross Street RO. Box 440436 Somerville, MA 02144 617-776-6661 Total Capacity: 5 families. Services: Advocacy; 3 communal meals (families cook their own meals); clothing if available; access to medical care at a nearby clinic. Languages:  Spanish and Creole  Restrictions:  Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Families in Transition  316 Huntington Ave.  Boston, MA 02115  617-927-8290  Total Capacity: 22 beds among families.    Services: Advocacy; handicap accessibility; medical care through Health Care for the Homeless; public transportation. Restrictions: Curfew: Sun-Thurs 9pm and Fri-Sat 11pm.  Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Hildebrand Family Self-Help Center, Inc.  614 Massachusetts Avenue, 3rd Floor  Cambridge, MA 02139  617-491-5752  Total capacity: 99 families in Congregate and Scattered Sites shelter units in Boston and Cambridge  Services: Information and Referral, Case Management, Housing Search and Stabilization.  Life Skills workshops and Children’s Programs depending on availability of resources.  Restrictions: Families with children only  Languages: Spanish, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole  Admission:  Must be eligible for Emergency Assistance and must be referred by the Department of Housing and Community Development.

Lifehouse (2 locations)  P.O. Box 265-150  145 Stoughton Street  Dorchester, MA 02125

654 Columbia Rd.  Dorchester, MA 02125  617-265-7700  Total Capacity: 10 families.  Services: Advocacy, counseling; clothing if available; access to medical care; day program; emergency food. Restrictions: Sober on premises. Boys allowed up until age 14. Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Mary's House / Bristol Lodge Family Shelter  62 Church Street  Waltham, MA 02154  781-647-9957  Total Capacity. 8 families. Services: Advocacy; referral; food; clothing; handicap accessibility; medical care by referral; day program; open 24 hours; transportation access; cook own meals. Languages: French Restrictions: Sobriety.  Curfew: Sun-Thurs. 9pm. Fri-Sat 11pm. Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Transitional Assistance and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership  569 Columbus Ave.  Boston, MA 02118  617-859-0400  Total Capacity: 60 families among the scattered-sites. Services: Advocacy; counseling; transportation for housing search. Languages: Spanish; Vietnamese; French-Creole; Portuguese. Restrictions:  Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development.

Nazareth House* 91 Regent Street  Roxbury, MA 02119 . 617-541-0100  Community Rooms:3.  Total Capacity: 7 DTA families (10 total including community rooms). Services: Advocacy; counseling; meals; transportation. Restrictions: At least one family member must be HIV positive; women & children only (fathers can be approved on a circumstantial basis); no males over 16 years old; 2 yr limit. Admissions Process: There is a waiting list specific to the community room. Must have a referral from the Department of Transitional Assistance and be eligible for Emergency Assistance

Project Hope* 45 Magnolia Street  Dorchester, MA 02125  617-442-1880  Community Rooms: 1 Total Capacity: 8 families; generally only accept women and children. Services:  Counseling; cook own meals; referrals; clothing if available; Spanish; handicap accessible; visiting nurse; day program, job training, social supports, and workshops. Restrictions:  Sobriety; no history of drug addiction or domestic violence; generally no males over 14 years old, but male children decided on case by case basis. Admissions Process:  Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development for Emergency Assistance beds; individuals can self-refer for community rooms.

Queen of Peace*  401 Quincy Street  Boston, MA 02125  617-288-4182  Community Rooms:  11 Total Capacity:  11 beds among families of women and children. Services:  Dinner & breakfast; clothing if available. Restrictions:  Only women and children, no males over the age of 4; must not be heavily reliant on medications, drugs, or alcohol; must be in at 4 pm & out by 9 am. Admissions Process:  Must have a referral from a social service agency.

Re-Vision House  38 Fabyan Street  Dorcester, MA 02124  617-825-8642  Total Capacity: 22 beds among women and children.  Services: Advocacy; counseling; community kitchen & pantry; handicap accessibility; medical care through Health Care for Homeless; transportation; storage facilities, stabilization services, day care. Languages:  French Creole Restrictions: Sobriety (random drug testing); all children 5 or under must be in for mealtime; women & children only. Admissions Process:  Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.  Client-based referral for those are between the ages of 18-21.

Roxbury Family Shelter  (Salvation Army)  23 Vernon Street  Roxbury, MA 02119  617-427-6700  Total Capacity: 5 families. If married then the couple accepted Services: Advocacy; counseling; community kitchen; clothing by referral; access to medical care; after school program for children; transportation to medical; limited storage facilities. Languages:  Spanish  Restrictions: Admissions Process: Must be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

St. Ambrose Family Inn  25 Leonard Street  Dorchester, MA 02122  617-288-7675  Total Capacity: 15 families.  Services: Advocacy; counseling by referral; food provided; clothing if available; Spanish; Haitian/Creole; access to medical care; after school program for children; transportation for housing only. Restrictions: No males over 17 except married couples. Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Margaret's House  90 Cushing Ave.  Dorchester, MA 02125  617-436-3944 (hotline) Intake center 617-436-8600  Community Rooms: 0 Total Capacity: 32 beds among women and children. Services: Advocacy; counseling; referral; clothing; prenatal care; onsite nurse. Restrictions: Women & children only; must be pregnant or parenting; boys up to the age of 12. Admissions Process: Must be eligible for Emergency Assistance.

Sojourner House* 85 Rockland Street  Roxbury, MA 02119  617-442-0590  Community Rooms: 3 (90 day maximum stay and re-contract every 30 days). Total Capacity: 9 families. Services: Advocacy; counseling; food pantry; clothing; handicap accessibility; medical care through Health Care for the Homeless; day program; transportation for housing appointments only. Languages:  Spanish; Haitian Creole. Restrictions: Sobriety. Referral: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for Emergency Assistance

SPIN (Serving People In Need)  248 S. Common  Lynn, MA 01905  781-598-9417  Total Capacity: 77 beds for families among the scattered services. Services: Advocacy; counseling by referral; food by referral; clothing if available; Spanish; not handicapped accessible but will be soon; medical care by referral; transportation for housing appointments and emergencies only.  Restrictions: Sobriety; financial stability. Admissions Process: Must be eligible for Emergency Assistance.  Can make a referral to a community room through the drop-in center.

Temporary Home for Women and Children  41 New Chardon Street  Boston, MA 02114  617-720-3611 Total Capacity: 15 families.  Services: Advocacy, counseling; 3meals/day; limited Spanish; handicap accessible; medical care day program; transportation; clothing if available. Restrictions: Non-EA eligible; women & children only; no drugs or alcohol; income restriction. Admissions Process:  Referral needed from a social service agency.

Watch last year's video to learn about the effects that House Bill 135 can have on homeless youth.

So you might be wondering, what does this bill even do? 

House Bill 135 can impact the lives of thousands of unaccompanied homeless youth across Massachusetts by

Requiring the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to work with agencies to provide services to unaccompanied homeless youth, such as: emergency shelter, “kinship” home placements, short term housing, and “Transition to Independent Living” programs.

Defining “unaccompanied homeless youth” as a person 24 years or younger who is not in the physical custody of a parent of  legal guardian.

Mandating the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to create contracts to provide services to unaccompanied homeless youth across Massachusetts.

Requiring the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to monitor contracted agencies providing said services to unaccompanied homeless youth to ensure quality.

 Basically, this bill can only impact homeless youth, positively. 

Are you interested in advocacy? Do you want experience advocacy in the Boston State House?

Volunteer for the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless Legislative Action Day!

This is an awesome article about how many hours a person has to work on minimum wage in order to afford the average rent in each state!

In Massachusetts, a person has to work 110 hours to on minimum wage to afford rent!