Homeless Assistance

Massachusetts Homeless Youth Handbook

Visit the online Massachusetts Homeless Youth Handbook for resources and assistance regarding youth homelessness. 

Youth Programs

Shelters

  • Bridge House 24 Baker Street, Lynn, MA 01902, 781-593-3898, 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, 7 Temple, Cambridge, MA 02139, 617-491-6050, Capacity: 103 single rooms for transitional housing program; 10 families of women and children for family shelter program. Languages: Spanish; Haitian; Bengali.
    Services: Advocacy; referral; some clothing; counseling.
    Restrictions: Women only, boys up to the age of 12 allowed.
    Admissions Process: Must be eligible for Emergency Assistance.
  • Casa Nueva Vida, 53 Glen Road, PO Box 2115, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, 617-524-6332, Capacity: 17 families.
    Services: Advocacy; counseling; some clothing; education & English classes. Language: Spanish
    Restrictions: Curfew: Sun- Thurs. 9pm; Fri-Sat 10pm.
    Referral: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.
  • Centerboard, 16 City Hall Square, Lynn, MA 01905, 781-598-9417, Capacity: 77 beds for families among the scattered services.
    • Services: Advocacy; counseling by referral; food by referral; clothing if available; not handicapped accessible but will be soon; transportation for housing appointments and emergencies only.
      Language: Spanish.
      Restrictions: Sobriety; financial stability.
      Admissions Process: Must be eligible for Emergency Assistance.
  • Children's Services of Roxbury, 504 Dudley St, Roxbury, MA 02119, 617-989-1093, Capacity: 105 beds (among families) in the Scattered Sites and 21 beds (among families) in the congregate location. Languages: Spanish; Haitian Creole.
    • Services: Advocacy; case management; housing search; education programs.
      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.
  • Crittenton 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. Languages: Spanish; Haitian Creole.
    Services: Advocacy; counseling; 3 meals/day; clothing if available; handicap accessibility; van transportation (to jobs).
    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, Capacity: 15 beds for families.
    Services: Case management; housing search; meals; clothing; weekly visiting nurse; play space; workshops. Languages: Spanish.
    Restrictions: No drug or alcoholic use.
    Curfew: Sun-Thurs 9 pm; Fri-Sat 11:30 pm.
    Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development.
  • Cross Street Family Shelter, 59 Cross Street, P.O. Box 440436, Somerville, MA 02144, 617-776-6661, 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; Creole.
    Curfew: Sun- Thurs 9 pm; Fri-Sat 10 pm.
    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, Capacity: 22 beds among families.
    Services: Advocacy; handicap accessibility; medical care through Health Care for the Homeless; public transportation.
    Curfew: Sun-Thurs 9 pm; Fri-Sat 11 pm.
    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 Languages: Spanish; French; Haitian Creole; Cape Verdean Creole.
    Total capacity: 113 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.
    Admission: Must be eligible for Emergency Assistance and must be referred by the Department of Housing and Community Development.
  • Housing Families, 254 Broadway, Malden, MA 02148, 781-324-1303 (site), 350 Cross St., Malden, MA 02148, 781 322-9119 (main), Capacity: 54 beds among families.
    Services: Advocacy; referral for counseling; cook own food; clothing; access to medical care; workshops & support groups; transportation to housing appointments only.
    Languages: Spanish; Creole; Portuguese.
    Restrictions: Sobriety; no active substance abuse.
    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), 617-436-8600 (intake center), 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.
  • Mary's House / Bristol Lodge Family Shelter, 62 Church Street, Waltham, MA 02154, 781-647-9957, Capacity: 8 families. Languages: French.
    Services: Advocacy; referral; food; clothing; handicap accessibility; medical care by referral; day program; open 24 hours; transportation access; cook own meals.
    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.
  • Nazareth House, 91 Regent Street, Roxbury, MA 02119, 617-541-0100, Community Rooms: 3, Capacity: 7 DTA families (10 total including community rooms).
    Services: Advocacy; counseling; transportation.
    Restrictions: At least one family member must be HIV positive; 2-year 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, 550 Dudley Street, Roxbury, MA 02119, 617-442-1880, 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.
    Website: https://www.prohope.org/
  • Queen of Peace, 401 Quincy Street, Boston, MA 02125, 617-288-4182, Community Rooms: 11, 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 3; 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.
    Website: https://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/cgi-bin/id/shelter.cgi?shelter=8566
  • Re-Vision House, 38 Fabyan Street, Dorchester, MA 02124, 617-825-8642, Capacity: 22 beds among women and children. Languages: French Creole.
    Services: Advocacy; counseling; community kitchen & pantry; medical care through Health Care for Homeless; transportation; storage facilities, stabilization services, day care.
    Restrictions: Sobriety (random drug testing); women & children only.
    Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Transitional Assistance or 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. Pregnant women above this age are also eligible.
    Website: https://www.shelterlistings.org/details/20944
  • Sojourner House, 85 Rockland Street, Roxbury, MA 02119, 617-442-0590, 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.
  • St. Ambrose Family Inn, 25 Leonard Street, Dorchester, MA 02122, 617-288-7675, Capacity: 19 families. Language: Spanish; Haitian/Creole.
    Services: Advocacy; counseling by referral; food provided; clothing if available; access to medical care; after school program for children; transportation for housing only.
    Admissions Process: Must have a referral from the Department of Housing and Community Development and be eligible for Emergency Assistance.
  • Temporary Home for Women and Children, 41 New Chardon Street, Boston, MA 02114, 617-720-3611, Capacity: 15 families.
    Services: Advocacy, counseling; 3 meals/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 Department of Children & Family.

Contact and Hours

Kathleen B. O'Neill, Ed.D., Director
SPOC for Food Insecure and Homeless Students
Charlestown Campus, Room N113B

Kristine Doherty, M.Ed., Academic Counselor/Coordinator
Email: kelarkin@bhcc.edu

Jean-Dany Joachim, Administrative Assistant II
Email: jjoachim@bhcc.edu

On Campus Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

617-228-3330  |  singlestop@bhcc.edu  
WebEx: https://bhcc.webex.com/meet/singlestop
Text with Single Stop at 781-355-9556