Housing, Health, Hunger & Help: Home

This Research Guide has been compiled by librarians and library staff at the Boston Public Library from community partners and online sources. Links are verified and fact-checked on a semi-annual basis, however, they may change at any time. Please contact the organizations you are interested in directly to verify that they are the right fit for you or your loved one.

Welcome to the Boston Public Library. Each BPL location is a safe space and offers a variety of services to adults, teens, children, and families, including:

• Computers with internet access
• Printing, scanning, and photocopying
• Books, magazines, and newspapers
• Activities for children
• Classes and lectures
• And more!

How to use this guide:

This guide contains information to help individuals and families who are housing and food insecure. Use the tabs above to navigate through the guide to resources in Boston. As always, feel free to ask your local librarian for help navigating these sources.

This guide is also an educational resource and reference guide for librarians, library staff, and folks who want to help individuals experiencing housing insecurity. Materials in this guide can be printed out to be given to a patron in need.

Homelessness may seem easy to define but many definitions rely on stereotypes. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):

There are four categories in the homeless definition:

Literally Homeless

Category 1, called "Literally Homeless," means someone doesn't have a stable place to sleep at night. This could be because they are living on the streets, in a park, or any other place not built for people to live in. It also includes people staying in homeless shelters, transitional housing, or hotels paid for by charities or the government. Even if someone was in a hospital or jail for less than three months, they are still considered literally homeless if they were in a shelter or on the streets right before. Basically, it means someone is truly without a regular home.

Imminent Risk of Homelessness

Category 2, called "imminent Risk of Homelessness," means someone is about to lose their home very soon, within the next two weeks. This could be a house they own, a place they rent, or even a place they are staying with friends or family. To be in this category, they must not have another place lined up to live, and they don't have the money or help from others to find a new permanent home. So, it's for people who are on the verge of becoming literally homeless. 

Homeless Under Other Federal Statutes

Category 3 means young people under 25 who are on their own, or families with kids in this situation, who might not fit the first two homeless categories, but are still considered homeless under other government rules. To be in this category, they haven't had their own stable housing (like renting or owning) in the last two months. They've also moved around a lot, at least twice in the last two months. It's expected that they will likely stay homeless for a while because they have extra challenges or things making it hard for them to find a stable place to live. 

Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence (DV)

Category 4 is for people and families who are running away or trying to escape from domestic violence (DV). This means they are dealing with abuse from someone they know, like a partner, and it can also includes things like sexual assault or stalking. To be in this category, they must not have any other safe place to live, and they don't have the money or help from others to find a new permanent home. This category also includes people who are afraid to go back to their current home because of the violence.