Boston low income housing.

A number of programs, organizations, and government housing authorities’ focus on offering low income housing, shelter, and section 8 housing in Boston Massachusetts and Suffolk County. The non-profits specialize in addressing the housing needs of low income families, senior citizens, the disabled, unemployed or others who are faced with a hardship or crisis situation.

Below is a comprehensive listing of who to call for access to low income housing, shelter or government housing in the greater Boston area. Whether you need funds to pay rent or a deposit from section 8, access to shelter, or referrals to government assistance (such as homeless prevention or transitional housing) one or more of these organizations may be able to offer you the resources you need.

Many of the Suffolk County Massachusetts housing programs have waiting lists. Availability and funds are limited. Apply early in order to increase your chances of receiving housing assistance.

Transitional housing, shelter, and low income housing assistance

The locations and organizations immediately below provide Boston families with transitional housing, shelter, and information and advice on where to turn to for various forms of low income housing solutions. Call them for short term housing, or general advice and consultations.

• Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, 15 Bubier Street, Lynn, Massachusetts 01901, (781) 595-7570
• Department of Transitional Assistance Homeless Assistance, call (800) 529-1599
• Boston Rescue Mission has low income, transitional housing for veterans. The address is 39 Kingston Street, Boston, MA, 02111. Call (617) 338-9000.
• Boston City Shelter, Long Island Hospital, Boston, MA 02122, phone (617) 534-2526
• Boston Family Shelter – Individuals need a referral to this agency. It could come from the Salvation Army or a local government agency. 656 Mass Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, dial (617) 267-8081

• Boston YWCA Emergency Rooms, 316 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, (617) 296-1390
• Cardinal Medeiros Center, 140 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, (617) 451-9331
• Chardon Street Shelter, Temporary Home for Women and Children, 41 New Chardon Street, Boston, MA 02114, (617) 523-2337
• City of Boston Emergency Shelter Commission, Boston City Hall, Room 716, Boston, MA 02201, dial (617) 635-4507
• Families in Transition, 316 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, (617) 927-8290
• Kingston House, 39 Kingston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02122, call (617) 482-9074
• Long Island Shelter, Tobin Building, Boston, MA 02122, (617) 534-2526
• Long Island Shelter Annex, 39 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116, (617) 521-8686
• Mass Bay Chapter American Red Cross, 285 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA 02116, (800) 564-1234
• Project Place Program for the Homeless, 32 Rutland Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, (617) 262-3740
• Queen of Peace, 401 Quincy Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02125, phone number - (617) 288-4182
• Rosie’s Place, 889 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02125, (617) 442-9322
• Saint Francis House Day Center, 39 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02112, dial (617) 542-4211
• Santa Maria Home, 11 Waltham Street, Boston, MA 02118, (617) 423-4366
• Travelers Aid Society, 711 Atlantic Ave at 17 East Street, Boston, MA 02111, (617) 542-7286
• Women Unit Shelter - Pine Street Inn, 363 Albany Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, (617) 482-4944
• Woods Mullen Shelter, 784 Mass Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, (617) 534-7100
• Crittenton Hasting House, 10 Perthshire Road, Brighton, MA 02135, call (617) 782-7600
• Brookview House Transitional Housing Program, 2 Brookview Street, Dorchester, Massachusetts 02124, (617) 265-2965
• Catholic Charities, St. Ambrose Family Inn, 25 Leonard Street, Dorchester, MA 02122, (617) 288-7675
• Family House Shelter, 250-252 Columbia Road, Dorchester, MA 02121, (617) 427-4470
• Holy Family, 24 Hartford Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, telephone - (617) 445-8461
• Holy Family Shelter, 1 Lingard Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, (617) 445-8461
• Lifehouse, 145 Stoughton Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, (617) 265-7700
• Pilgrim Church Shelter, 540 Columbia Road, Dorchester, MA 02125, (617) 825-3300
• Project Hope, 45 Magnolia Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, phone - (617) 442-1880
• Re-Vision House, 38 Fabyan Street, Dorchester, Massachusetts 02124, (617) 825-8642
• St. Mary’s House, 90 Cushing Avenue, Dorchester, Massachusetts 02121, dial (617) 436-8600
• United Homes Adult Shelter, 540 Columbia Road, Dorchester, MA 02125, call (617) 265-4515

• Crossroads Family Shelter, 56 Havre Street, East Boston, MA 02128, (617) 567-5926
• Casa Nueva Vida, 53 Glen Road, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts 02130, phone (617) 524-6332
• Hope Found, 170 Morton Street, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts 02130, (617) 522-8110 Ext. 3229
• Horizon House, P.O. Box 383, Mattapan, MA 02126, (617) 296-2492
• Children’s Services of Roxbury, 504 Dudley Street, Roxbury, Massachusetts 02119, (617) 445-6655
• Millennium House, 16 Mayfair Street, Roxbury, Massachusetts 02119, dial (617) 438-0081
• Nazareth House, 91 Regent Street, Roxbury, Massachusetts 02119, phone number - (617) 541-0100
• Roxbury Family Shelter, 23 Vernon Street, Roxbury, MA 02119, (617) 427-6700
• Sojourner House, 85 Rockland Street, Roxbury, Massachusetts 02119, primary phone number - (617) 442-0590

Suffolk County and Boston housing authorities

While the organizations listed above are more focused on offering transitional housing, advice, and general support to residents on housing issues, other solutions exist. The city of Boston and also Suffolk County government runs several housing agencies in the county and city. They administer a number of low income housing, security deposit and rental assistance programs to residents. The services offered are quite extensive, and include the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), Section 8, as well as Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP). Support is focused on the low income, seniors, families with children, and disabled.

Section 8 housing is a federal government funding low income housing assistance program for low-income Massachusetts families and individuals. Clients of section 8 may receive rent vouchers that are used to help pay their rent. Or they may be placed in housing that sets a maximum on the amount they need to pay towards their rent. The Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) provides tenant-based vouchers to Suffolk County families to pay for their rent in approved housing. The apartments are safe, clean, and affordable. The last option, known as Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP), is a rental assistance program for low-income disabled people under the age of 60.

• Boston Housing Authority (MRVP), 52 Chauncy Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, (617) 988-4000
• Brookline Housing Authority (AHVP, MRVP), 90 Longwood Avenue, Brookline, MA 02446, (617) 277-2022
• Chelsea Housing Authority (AHVP, MRVP), 54 Locke Street, Chelsea, MA 02150, dial (617) 884-5617
• Revere Housing Authority (AHVP), 70 Cooledge Street, Revere, Massachusetts 02151, (781) 284-4394
• Winthrop Housing Authority, 9 Golden Drive, Winthrop, Massachusetts 02152, phone number - (617) 846-7100

By Jon McNamara

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