Housing, Health, Hunger & Help: Housing Assistance
Information on shelters, food, medical and legal assistance for the homeless and housing insecure in the Greater Boston area.
Housing Assistance in Boston and Massachusetts
Find housing assistance resources here. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) offers many programs to assist Massachusetts residents, including affordable housing, rental vouchers, low-income energy assistance, and more. If you need housing assistance, visit Mass.gov's A Guide to Obtaining Housing Assistance. For residents in and around the City of Boston, please call the Boston Housing Authority for information about eligibility requirements, rents, preferences and applications.
Housing Resources
- How to Apply for Public Housing
Get answers to your questions about state-aided public housing offered by the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Phone: 617.573.1100
TTY: 617.573.1140
Location: 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02114 - Learn about the Fair Housing Act
The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination when they are renting, buying, or securing financing for any housing. The prohibitions specifically cover discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and the presence of children. - Massachusetts Housing Court
The court handles evictions, small claims, and other cases related to housing.
617-788-6500 - Need Housing Assistance?
Are you homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, or in need of affordable housing? Go to the HUD Resource Locator and select "Find Homeless Resources Near Me" to find out where you can go for help. - Office of Housing Stability
If you are at immediate risk of becoming homeless, call the City Of Boston Office of Housing Stability for help finding and maintaining stable, safe and affordable housing.
Phone: 617-635-4200
Guide Disclaimer
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.
Housing Organizations
- Action for Boston Community DevelopmentShelter, stabilization, foreclosure prevention, and counseling.
Phone: 617-348-6000
Location: 178 Tremont St., Boston MA 02111 - Boston Community CooperativesMembers participate in a group-equity model of communally owned, democratically controlled and affordable residential cooperatives.
Email: bostoncommunitycooperatives@gmail.com - Cambridge Multi-Service Center for the HomelessOffers programs to help people who are currently homeless or at risk of losing their housing in the city of Cambridge, MA. Programs include: housing assistance, transitional housing program, Support for Tenants at Risk (STAR), case management, counseling, Cambridge Haitian Services, and more.
Phone: 617-349-6340
TDD: 617-349-6330
Location: 362 Green Street, Cambridge MA 02139 - City Life/ Vida UrbanaSupport for homeowners and renters fighting to stay in their homes. Offers bilingual (Spanish/English) legal aid.
Phone: 617-524-3541
Location: 284 Amory Street, First Floor, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 - Family Aid BostonThe Rapid Re-Housing program provides rental subsidy and training. The HOMES program is comprised of 6 units of permanent affordable housing for formerly homeless families in Dorchester and East Boston.
Phone: 617-542-7286
Email: info@familyaidboston.org
Location: 727 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02111 - Fair Housing and EquityChallenges housing discrimination and tries to reduce barriers to opportunity for persons living and working in the City of Boston.
Phone: 617-635-2500
Email: FAIRHOUSING@BOSTON.GOV
Location: 1 City Hall Square, Room 966, Boston, MA 02201 - HomeStart ServicesPrograms help prevent families and individuals from losing their current housing, as well as finding affordable housing. Specific programs to assist veterans and people with disabilities.
Phone: 617-542-0338
Email: homestart@homestart.org
Location: 105 Chauncy Street, Boston, MA 02111 - MassHousingFind affordable rentals, homes for sale, and first-time homebuyer help through this independent agency. MassHousing does not use taxpayer dollars to sustain its operations, although it administers some publicly funded programs on behalf of the Commonwealth.
Phone: 617-854-1000
Videophone: 857-366-4157
Email: webinfo@masshousing.com
Location: One Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108 - Metro Housing BostonMetropolitan Boston Housing Partnership is a leading nonprofit dedicated to connecting the residents of Greater Boston with safe, decent homes they can afford. MBHP empowers families and individuals to move along the continuum from homelessness to housing stability.
Phone:617.859.0400
Toll Free: 1.800.272.0990
Email: info@metrohousingboston.org
Location: 1411 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02120 - MetrolistMetrolist services include: rental listings for government-assisted and private market housing in Boston and neighboring communities; workshops and classes for buyers and renters; resources for finding affordable housing; and information about statewide housing lotteries.
Phone: 617.635.4200
E-Mail: METROLIST@BOSTON.GOV - Victory Programs | HousingAs an equal opportunity housing provider, Victory Programs provides housing opportunities regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status or any other classification protected by applicable federal, state or local law. Victory Programs also offers medical case management and housing services for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Phone: 617-282-4102 x374
TTY: 617-541-0222
Email: