Individual Shelters in Greater Boston
Betty’s Place – Boston YWCA (Transitional housing)
40 Berkley Street
Boston, MA 02116
617-482-1126
Capacity: 10 women
Length of Stay: 6 months
Services: Counseling, 2 meals, referrals
Restrictions: Clients must be sober and adhere to a curfew.
Admissions Process: Individuals can self-refer.
Bristol Lodge Men’s Shelter
27 Lexington Street
P.O. Box 54-1095
Waltham, MA 02454-1095
(781) 893-0108
Capacity: 45 men
Length of Stay: 90 days in/30 days out
Services: Counseling/clothing by referral; soup kitchen; storage lockers.
Restrictions: Clients must be sober and out of the shelter between 7:45 am-6 pm. A 7 pm curfew is in place.
Admissions Process: Individuals can self-refer or have a referral from a social services agency. Check in at 9 am for bed availability.
Bristol Lodge Women’s Shelter
205 Bacon Street
P.O. Box 54-1095
Waltham, MA 02454-1095
(781) 893-0108
Capacity: 12 women
Length of Stay: 90 days in/30 days out
Services: Counseling by referral; soup kitchen; clothing by referral; storage lockers.
Restrictions: Sober women; clients must be out of shelter between 7:45 am-6 pm. A 7 pm curfew is in place.
Admissions Process: Individuals can self-refer or have a referral from a social services agency. Check in at 9 am for bed availability.
Cambridge Shelter Inc.
109 School St.
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 547-1885
Capacity: 15 men, 6 women
Length of Stay: 1- 3 nights
Services: Case management; 2 meals on weekdays & 3 meals on weekends; clothing, referrals.
Restrictions: Clean, sober and cooperative.
Referral: Through social service agencies. Agencies must call the shelter by 10am.
Admissions Process: Must have a referral from a social services agency; agencies must call the shelter by 10 am.
College Avenue Adult Shelter
P.O. Box 440436
14 Chapel Street
Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 623-6111
Capacity: 8 men, 4 women
Length of Stay: 5-6 months; extensions are granted based on individual cases.
Services: Counseling Tuesdays and Thursdays; 3 meals/day; clothing; medical care by referral; day programs (education, substance abuse, etc.); limited storage facilities; nearby food pantry.
Restrictions: Clients must be sober and adhere to a 10prn curfew. Facility is not handicapped accessible.
Admissions Process: Referrals can come through social service agencies, place of employment, or self; Clients must call and leave a message every day.
First Church Shelter
11 Garden St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 661-1873
Capacity: 17 men
Length of Stay: Varies based on client’s needs
Services: 2 meals/day; limited clothing; modest storage facilities; referrals for counseling, medical care.
Restrictions: Clients must be sober and adhere to a 10:30 pm curfew. Does not accept walk-ins.
Admissions Process: Referral from a community service provider.
Harvard Square Homeless Shelter /University Lutheran Shelter
66 Winthrop Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-547-2841 (shelter)
617-876-3256 (church)
Capacity: 19-20 men; 4-5 women
Length of Stay: 2 weeks at a time (subject to change).
Services: Advocacy; breakfast & dinner
Restrictions: Clients must be sober. SEASONAL (open November 15 – April 15)
Admissions Process: Call at 7:30 am to reserve a bed.
Kingston House, Boston Rescue Mission
39 Kingston St.
Boston, MA 02111
(617) 482-8819
Capacity: 100 men; 35 women
Length of Stay: Varies based on client’s needs.
Services: Open October-July. 2 meals/day; some clothing; Spanish; register daily
Restrictions: 9pm curfew
Admissions Process: Individuals can self-refer or obtain a referral from social service agencies or places of worship.
New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans*
17 Court Street
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 371-1800
Capacity: 250 men; 16 women
Length of Stay: 2 years.
Wait list: Check in daily from 4 pm-6:30 pm; intake cots report at 7:45 pm
Services: Counseling; 3 meals/day; clothing; handicap accessible; medical care eye and dental; day programs; transportation; storage facilities; advocacy. Languages: Spanish.
Restrictions: Clients must have veteran status, sober, and adhere to an 11 pm curfew.
Referral: Self
Pilgrim Church Shelter
540 Columbia Rd.
Dorchester, MA 02125
617 436-2588
Capacity: 100-124 men (varies depending on season)
Length of Stay: No limit
Wait list: Clients must call and report by 7:30 pm; first come first serve basis
Services: Advocacy; case management; meals; referrals
Restrictions: Clients must report in at 7:30 pm each night if capable, or take transit from specific social service agencies
Referral: Self, and Social Services (Hope Found, Prime St., Health Centers, etc)
Pine Street Inn – Men’s Unit
444 Harrison Ave.
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 482-4944
Capacity: 317 men.
Length of Stay: No limit.
Services: Counseling; 2 meals/day nov.1-april 1; clothing; medical clinic; day programs; limited transportation; some lockers.
Languages: Spanish.
Restrictions: Men only.
Referral: Self
Pine Street Inn – Women’s Unit
363 Albany Street
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 521-7189
Capacity: 90 women; 40 beds are transitional
Length of Stay: No limit.
Services: Counseling; 2 meals/day; handicap accessible; medical clinic; storage lockers; emergency clothing; washing machines
Language: Spanish.
Restrictions: Women only; 8:30 pm curfew
Referral: Self -Client must submit name to enter the daily lottery from 2:30 pm-3:45 pm.
Rosie’s Place
889 Harrison Avenue
Boston, MA 02118
617-442-9322
Capacity: 20 women
Length of Stay: 21 days
Wait List: Lottery begins each morning Mon-Fri at 8 am and Sat-Sun at 10 am and ends at 2:30 pm
Services: Counseling; 3 meals/day; clothing; Spanish; handicap accessible; nurse & doctor 5 days a week; day programs; workshops; storage lockers; mail service; showers and laundry.
Language: Spanish.
Restrictions: Clients must be women, sober, 18 years of age or older and adhere to a 9 pm curfew.
Referral: Self.
St. Patrick’s Shelter
270 Washington St.
Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 628-3015
Capacity: 41 women
Length of Stay: Clients are welcome every day; duration of stay is based on client’s needs.
Services: Advocacy; counseling and medial care by referral; 2 meals/day; small lockers.
Waiting List: Clients must show up before 3 p.m.
Restrictions: Clients must be women, sober, and out of the shelter by 7:30 am.
Referral: Self
Salvation Army Cambridge Shelter
402 Mass. Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 547-3400
Capacity: 35 men
Length of Stay: 6 days in/4 days out
Wait list: Clients can call/stop in as early at 7:30 pm; bed lists are available from 8 am to noon.
Services: Services are postponed due to limitations from construction.
Restrictions: Clients must be male, sober, have a MA identification card, can keep and self administer non narcotic medicine, adhere to a 9 pm curfew, and be 19 years of age or older.
Referral: Self or agency referral
Santa Maria
11 Waltham Street
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 423-4366
Capacity: 10 women
Length of Stay: 7 nights per month.
Wait List: First come, first serve basis. Call in the morning at 7:00 am to check availability.
Services: Breakfast and snacks; clothing; access to translation services for foreign languages not spoken by the staff members on location
Restrictions: Clients must be women and be sober and adhere to a 10 pm curfew.. Shelter is open from 7 pm-8 am (come early for showers).
Referral: Another shelter; social worker; social service agencies; self
Shattuck Shelter at Shattuck Hospital, Hope Bound
170 Morton St.
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 983-7197
Capacity: 93 men, 21 women
Length of Stay: No limit
Wait List: No. You can keep the same bed as the night before if you arrive at the appropriate intake time (begins at 3:30pm). Otherwise you must arrive at intake time and be placed in a lottery for an open bed.
Services: Bilingual staff; no programs during the day
Restrictions: 18 years of age or older; must be capable of self care and able to leave each morning by 8am Mon-Fri. and 9am on the weekends
Referral: Self for lottery; spring and summer arrive for intake at 3:30 to 7:00pm and in the fall and winter 3:30 pm-6:00 pm.
Southampton Street Shelter (Boston Public Health Commission; replaced the former Long Island Shelter as of June 2015)
112 Southampton Street
Boston, MA 02118
General phone number for the BPHC: (617)534-5395
Capacity: 400 men
Restrictions: Men; 18+ years old
Referral: Self. First-come, first-served. According to the BPHC website, “Men looking for shelter for the evening should go to Southampton Street Shelter, where they will be searched, screened and given admission.”
United Homes Adult Shelter
540 Columbia Road
Dorchester, MA 02125
617-282-0456
Capacity: 135 men
Length of Stay: No limit. Working (with proof of pay stub) secures a bed, and the Up and Out recovery program participants
Wait List: Walk-ins must arrive by 7:00pm; call for information on van pick up areas near St. Francis House (at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm)
Services: Counseling; access to a Homestead advocate 2 times a month; dinner and breakfast provided; clothing available in emergencies; medical care clinic; transportation; advocacy. Languages: Creole, Cape Verdean, Spanish
Restrictions: Men; 18+ years old; last van 8:30pm (Must be transported by van)
Referral: Self referral.
Woods Mullen Shelter (Boston Public Health Commission)
784 Rear Mass. Avenue
Boston, MA 02119
(617) 534-2526
Capacity: 124 men; 66 women.
Length of Stay: No limit.
Wait List: First come, first serve. Sign up before 5:30.
Services: Advocacy; counseling; nurse + referral; 3 meals/day; clothing; medical care.
Language: Spanish.
Restrictions: Wet (alcohol permitted but clients must maintain compliance and corporation) no drug use in shelter.
Referral: Self–client must schedule a time meet with a case manager for an intake at the shelter.