Creating housing opportunity in Massachussets

Image © CHAPA

Aldina came to the United States in 2002 from Cape Verde. Six years ago, high medical bills following a prolonged period of hospitalisation meant she could no longer afford her rent. She became homeless.

Boston’s Pine Street Inn is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to end homelessness by making permanent housing a reality for all. Aldina reached out to the team at Pine Street Inn for help. The team provided her with immediate assistance and she was able to stay in Pine Street Inn’s Yawkey House emergency shelter. Her case manager then helped her to find an apartment in one of Pine Street Inn’s residences.

“It’s a wonderful community and everyone here is like family,” says Aldina.

In recent years, as Pine Street Inn has focused on increasing its supply of permanent supportive housing, while decreasing the number of people reliant on emergency shelters, many shelter residents have been able to move to an apartment. Pine Street Inn now owns or operates over 1,000 apartments for people who’ve moved on from homelessness.

It’s a move that’s worked well for Aldina. “I’ve been in my new apartment for three years, and I love it,” she says. “There are many Cape Verdeans in the neighbourhood, which makes me feel at home. It’s quiet and peaceful here, and I’ve made a lot of friends in the building.”

“A home is always the answer to homelessness,” says Lyndia Downie, Pine Street Inn President and Director, “That’s why we continue to move forward on new housing.”

With over half of all renters in Boston considered to be ‘cost burdened’ by their rent, Aldina was far from alone when she faced challenges paying the rent on her previous apartment.

That’s where HomeStart’s eviction prevention programme comes in. It works one-on-one with low-income families on the brink of homelessness, intervening to help them stay in their homes and avoid the trauma of homelessness. Had Aldina known about HomeStart’s work, it is possible that she would never have been made homeless in the first place.

HomeStart provides financial assistance and case management support. It negotiates directly with property owners on behalf of tenants and accompanies tenants to the housing court, helping to work out agreements to stop evictions and preserve tenancies. When an agreement has been reached, HomeStart makes a payment directly to the property owner towards the back rent owed. This is intended as a goodwill offering to generate confidence from the landlord and stop the eviction process. Then the tenant will typically repay the balance to the landlord within 8-12 months.

The programme is very cost-effective. While it costs the state USD 30,000 to provide a homeless family with emergency shelter accommodation or a motel for one year, HomeStart can typically preserve a tenancy for around USD 2,000 per household. This is also lower than the cost to landlords to evict a tenant, and has led to private and public landlords partnering with HomeStart to enable the organisation to work with their tenants.

“Our mission is to help neighbours experiencing homelessness or housing instability to regain and maintain a stable home – a safe, affordable place to live connected to a community of support,” says HomeStart president and executive director Matt Pritchard. “We all want the opportunity to thrive, plan for the future, and position our children and families for success in their own lives. A home is the first step to get us there.”

The team at Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) in Massachusetts shares that view. Born from a small group of community leaders who understood that housing was a critical issue of the civil rights movement in 1967, CHAPA has worked to boost the supply and preservation of housing ever since it was founded. It promotes more affordable homes for people on low and moderate incomes in Massachusetts on the local, state, and federal levels.

Affordable Homes Act

In 2024, the Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act was signed into law. This landmark bill provides for a USD 5.1 billion investment and includes a wide range of policies to support the preservation and creation of tens of thousands of homes.

The bill will enable investments in state public housing and in supportive housing. It also authorises a social housing pilot scheme, which will boost the supply of apartments like the one Aldina was able to move into.

“These policies will help us move closer to a Commonwealth where people can have safe, healthy, affordable homes in the communities they choose. This is more than a housing plan, it’s a statement of values,” says Rachel Heller, CHAPA chief executive officer.

The bill also includes measures to seal evictions records, making it easier for organisations like HomeStart to support renters who have had a history of eviction. Finally, the bill includes changes to planning regulations, which will make it faster and simpler to build additional homes.

“Boston’s Pine Street Inn, HomeStart, and CHAPA play key roles in the collective response to Boston’s housing crisis,” says Brian Robson, director of Oak’s Housing and Homelessness Programme. “Their work is helping more people live in decent homes and ensure fewer people experience homelessness and housing insecurity. It is aligned with our own work to increase supply and access to affordable housing, strengthen renter rights, and prevent homelessness.”

If you want to find out more about our Housing and Homelessness Programme and its partners, please check out our website.