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Are you or someone you know returning to the community in need of housing assistance? Fresh Foundation provides critical help with first month's rent, last month's rent, and/or security deposits for eligible applicants as funds become available.
Why Housing Matters
Stable housing is the foundation of successful reentry. When individuals returning to the community have a secure place to call home, they can focus on rebuilding their lives, maintaining employment, reconnecting with family, and becoming contributing community members. Housing stability reduces recidivism and creates the platform needed for true second chances.
Program Details
- Applications open: Monday, February 24, 2025
- Application deadline: March 21, 2025
- Support provided: Assistance with first month's rent, last month's rent, and/or security deposits
- Selection notifications: On or before March 24, 2025
Applicants Must:
- Submit a personal statement explaining why they should receive housing support, detailing reintegration goals and housing stability.
- Attend the 2-day Fresh Foundation housing workshop.
- Provide three character references.
- Provide proof of finances.
- Provide landlord verification.
- Complete a six month follow-up survey.
Housing Search Resources
HUD
HUD provides housing support and uplifts communities. Let us guide your next steps to the right place.
- HUD Resource Locator: https://resources.hud.gov/
Craigslist
Zillow
On Zillow you can browse homes, take virtual tours, find a local agent and more.
Redfin
Redfin allows you to search national real estate and rental listings. Find the latest apartments for rent.
Housing Support Resources
Contiuuim of Care Program
Continuum of Care coordinates housing and services funding for homeless families and individuals. Services include outreach, intake and assessment, emergency shelter, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing.
For More Information: https://www.boston.gov/departments/housing/continuum-care-program
RAFT Program
The Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program provides short-term emergency funding to help you with eviction, foreclosure, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies.
What you need
Gather these documents before you apply:
- ID for Head of Household (such as a state issued driver’s license, birth certificate, or passport)
- Proof of Current Housing (such as a lease, tenancy agreement, or tenancy at will agreement)
- Verification of Housing Crisis (such as a Notice to Quit, proof that you are behind on your mortgage, an eviction notice, a utility shutoff notice, or documentation showing that you can't stay in your current home due to health, safety, or other reasons)
- Income Verification. After you apply, we'll need to verify your income. We'll try to do this automatically when you apply. If we can't, we may ask you to upload your income documents.
- Your landlord will need to complete a landlord application. After you submit your application, let your landlord or property manager know as soon as possible. They will also need to submit an application to complete the application process. If they don't submit within 21 days, your application will time out, and you'll have to reapply.
Apply Here: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-raft-emergency-help-for-housing-costs
Homeless Shelters
- Betty’s Place – Boston YWCA (Transitional housing) 40 Berkley Street Boston, MA 02116 617-482-1126
- Bristol Lodge Men’s Shelter 27 Lexington Street P.O. Box 54-1095 Waltham, MA 02454-1095 (781) 893-0108
- Bristol Lodge Women’s Shelter 205 Bacon Street P.O. Box 54-1095 Waltham, MA 02454-1095 (781) 893-0108
- Cambridge Shelter Inc. 109 School St. Cambridge, MA 02139 (617) 547-1885
- College Avenue Adult Shelter P.O. Box 440436 14 Chapel Street Somerville, MA 02144 (617) 623-6111
- First Church Shelter 11 Garden St. Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 661-1873
- Harvard Square Homeless Shelter /University Lutheran Shelter 66 Winthrop Street Cambridge, MA 02138 617-547-2841 (shelter) 617-876-3256 (church)
- Kingston House, Boston Rescue Mission 39 Kingston St. Boston, MA 02111 (617) 482-8819
- New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans* 17 Court Street Boston, MA 02108 (617) 371-1800
- Pilgrim Church Shelter 540 Columbia Rd. Dorchester, MA 02125 617 436-2588
- Pine Street Inn – Men’s Unit 444 Harrison Ave. Boston, MA 02118 (617) 482-4944
- Pine Street Inn – Women’s Unit 363 Albany Street Boston, MA 02118 (617) 521-7189
- Rosie’s Place 889 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118 617-442-9322
- St. Patrick’s Shelter 270 Washington St. Somerville, MA 02143 (617) 628-3015
- Salvation Army Cambridge Shelter 402 Mass. Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 (617) 547-3400
- Santa Maria 11 Waltham Street Boston, MA 02118 (617) 423-4366
- Shattuck Shelter at Shattuck Hospital, Hope Bound 170 Morton St. Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (617) 983-7197
- Southampton Street Shelter (Boston Public Health Commission; replaced the former Long Island Shelter as of June 2015) 112 Southampton Street Boston, MA 02118
- United Homes Adult Shelter 540 Columbia Road Dorchester, MA 02125 617-282-0456
- Woods Mullen Shelter (Boston Public Health Commission) 784 Rear Mass. Avenue Boston, MA 02119 (617) 534-2526
Housing Choice Vouchers
The housing choice voucher program is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.
The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects.
Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs). The PHAs receive federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the voucher program.
A family that is issued a housing voucher is responsible for finding a suitable housing unit of the family's choice where the owner agrees to rent under the program. This unit may include the family's present residence. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by the PHA.
A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the PHA on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. Under certain circumstances, if authorized by the PHA, a family may use its voucher to purchase a modest home.
For More Information: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-the-section-8-housing-choice-vouchers-program-hcvp
Fresh Foundation offers housing support for those returning to the community from incarceration providing housing assistance from April 1 to June 30, 2025.
Are you or someone you know returning to the community in need of housing assistance? Fresh Foundation provides critical help with first month's rent, last month's rent, and/or security deposits for eligible applicants as funds become available.
Why Housing Matters
Stable housing is the foundation of successful reentry. When individuals returning to the community have a secure place to call home, they can focus on rebuilding their lives, maintaining employment, reconnecting with family, and becoming contributing community members. Housing stability reduces recidivism and creates the platform needed for true second chances.
Program Details
- Applications open: Monday, February 24, 2025
- Application deadline: March 21, 2025
- Support provided: Assistance with first month's rent, last month's rent, and/or security deposits
- Selection notifications: On or before March 24, 2025
Applicants Must:
- Submit a personal statement explaining why they should receive housing support, detailing reintegration goals and housing stability.
- Attend the 2-day Fresh Foundation housing workshop.
- Provide three character references.
- Provide proof of finances.
- Provide landlord verification.
- Complete a six month follow-up survey.