Learn how to apply for shelter if you are pregnant or have children under 21 years old.
- This page, Apply for Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter , is offered by
- Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
Apply for Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter
Contacts
Massachusetts Emergency Family Shelter Contact Line
Phone
Open M-F 8am-5pm - Closed on State Holidays
The Details of Apply for Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter
Eligibility for Apply for Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter
You can apply if:
- You're a resident of Massachusetts
- Your family’s gross income* is 115% or less of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG)
- You're pregnant or have children under 21
and if the reason you need shelter is one of the following:
- No-fault fire, flood, natural disaster, condemnation, or foreclosure
- Fleeing domestic violence (current or within past 12 months)
- No-fault eviction
- Your children are exposed to a substantial health and safety risk
A family may include parents or guardians, spouses, siblings, stepparents, stepsiblings, or half-siblings.
*What counts as "gross income"?
Gross income can include wages, gifts, alimony, child support, and government payments such as Social Security, TAFDC, SSI and SSD.
Some types of income that are not counted, such as food stamps (SNAP) and some kinds of education grants, loans and scholarships. This is not a complete list of the types of income that are counted and not counted. For a more complete list see 760 CMR 67 and 106 CMR 704.
What documents do I need before I apply for EA Family Shelter?
What we need before we can offer you shelter:
- Proof of identity (examples: state issued driver’s license, birth certificate, or passport)
- Proof of family relationship. We need to be able to confirm that you & your children are all part of one family (examples: birth certificate, custody paperwork).
Recommended: Having an email address is the easiest way for EOHLC staff to contact you. Making an email address is free and simple. There are many services you can use, such as Gmail (Google) and Outlook (Microsoft).
You will then have up to 30 days to provide other documents to show you are eligible for EA emergency family shelter. This includes:
- MA Residency Documents to prove that you are a resident and plan on staying here (examples: MassHealth registration, voter or school registration, any Mass. ID)
- Documents for Cause of Homelessness. We can only help families who are homeless for certain reasons. We can also help some families who do not have a safe place to stay (examples: eviction paperwork, documentation showing an inability to stay in your current home due to health, safety, or other reasons).
- Financial Information - Assets & Income. We can only help families who are below our income and asset limits. (examples: pay stubs, bank statements)
- Citizenship or Immigration Documents. At least one family member must have an eligible immigration status. (examples: U.S. issued passport, green card, documentation that the United States is aware of the person’s presence and is not trying to make the person leave the country right away)
How to apply Apply for Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter
The simplest way to apply to the EA Emergency Family Shelter is to apply online. You can do this by visiting the Massachusetts Housing Help Hub, registering with your email address to create an account, and starting an application.
Applying online has many benefits. You can…
- Apply using your mobile device or online
- Upload your documents directly with your application
- Track your application status after submission
To start a new application, visit the Housing Help Hub and begin your application today. You can apply online at any time. Applications will be processed during regular business hours.
- Call (866) 584-0653 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. A call center representative will record your contact information and refer you to a Homeless Coordinator if you want to apply.
- The Homeless Coordinator will help you complete your application and see if you are eligible.
You can also apply by visiting one of our offices (see schedules below in the "In person" section). Offices and phone line are closed on weekends and state holidays.
- Go to one of our offices. The list below shows which day(s) each office is open. On days when offices are open, they operate from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. All offices are closed on weekends and state holidays.
- At the office, you'll meet with a Homeless Coordinator. You should bring documents proving your identity and the relationship between your family members.
- The Homeless Coordinator will help you complete your application and assess your eligibility.
Office locations and days of operation:
- Boston (Open Monday through Friday) – 2201 Washington St, Roxbury, MA 02119
- Brockton (Open Monday through Friday) – 60 Main St, Brockton, MA 02301
- Chelsea (Open Monday through Friday) – 80 Everett Ave, 3rd floor , Chelsea, MA 02150
- Hyannis (Open Tuesday) – 181 North St, Hyannis, MA 02601
- Lawrence (Open Monday through Friday) – 280 Merrimack St, Lawrence, MA 01843
- Lowell (Open Tuesday and Thursday) – 131 Davidson St, Lowell, MA 01852
- New Bedford (Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday)– 160 West Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford, MA 02744
- Salem (Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday) – 45 Congress Street, Suite 4120, Salem, MA 01970
- Springfield (Open Monday through Friday) – 243 Cottage Street . Springfield, MA 01104
- Worcester (Open Monday through Friday) – 50 Southwest Cutoff, Worcester, MA 01604
Next steps for Apply for Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter
-
Make sure you provide all your documentation
Within 30 days:
- In person at one of the locations above.
- Online using the Self-Service Document Upload Tool. You will need your ETO Case Number or Application Number and your last name. Below are instructions on how to upload documents:
When you apply (once you have an ETO Case Number), you can now submit the required documents for your EA Family Shelter application using a Self-Service Document Upload Tool. Below are instructions on how to upload documents:
You may be placed on the EA Contact List
EA Family Shelter Contact List and Prioritization
The state is not able to expand shelter capacity. Due to this, the family shelter system may not have enough space to shelter every eligible family. Families are placed on the Rapid Shelter Tracker (30 business day stay) or the Bridge Shelter Track (9 months stay). Both tracks may not have spaces for eligible families. When there is not a space, families will be given options for what their next step might be, including joining the EA Family Shelter Contact List.
How does the EA Family Shelter Contact List work?
- The Contact List is the order we contact families for placement in EA Family Shelter.
You may be eligible for HomeBASE
Families who have provided all required documentation and are fully eligible for EA Emergency Family Shelter are eligible for HomeBASE, even if they are not in a shelter yet. Families who are living in Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter are also eligible for HomeBASE.
After meeting with our staff, you will be referred to HomeBASE and someone from the program will contact you within 24 hours (except if you visit our office on a Friday).HomeBASE can help pay for:
- First and last month's rent, security deposit, and broker’s fee for a new apartment
- Monthly payments to help with rent for up to three years
- Furniture, moving expenses, and utilities, based on families’ needs
- Overdue rent and/or utility payments
You may be eligible for Re-Ticketing
Your family may have the option to stay with friends or family in other states outside of Massachusetts. Re-ticketing helps cover travel costs (plane tickets, bus tickets, or other related travel expenses) so your family can get to that state immediately.
After you're given a place in a family shelter
Required Activities when Living in EA Family Shelter
The program’s goal is to help families living in shelter to stabilize and to find permanent housing. In order to achieve this goal, families living in shelter are required to develop and participate in activities outline in their rehousing plan.
Emergency Family Shelter Rules
To make sure that shelters are safe for everyone, families living in shelter must follow shelter rules, including:
- Arriving by curfew
- Spending every night at the shelter unless permission is granted
- Only having guests at times and in ways outlined in the rules
- No pets (except for service animals or other animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act)
- No alcohol or illegal drugs.
Rapid Track: The full Rapid Track at Temporary Respite Center (TRC) Shelter rules can be found here.
Bridge Track: The rules for the Bridge Track are available on the Bridge Track Rules page.
Income requirements for Apply for Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter
Family Size 115% of Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG)
Gross monthly income must be at or below numbers listed below:1 $1,443 2 $1,959 3 $2,474 4 $2,990 5 $3,506 6 $4,021 7 $4,537 8 $5,052 Per Additional Person $516 Contact for Apply for Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter
Address
Offices across the state - Please see list on 'Apply for EA' webpage, Statewide, MA 02114Phone
Open M-F 8am-5pm - Closed on State Holidays
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