Individual Shelters in Greater Boston

*Indicates a transitional shelter. Transitional shelters offer programs to assist people who are ready to move beyond emergency shelter but need additional supportive services to move out of homelessness

1740 Washington St. Shelter
1740 Washington St.
Boston, MA 02118
617-892-8747
Capacity: 33 beds for men or women
Length of Stay: No limit
Services: Advocacy; counseling; 2 meals; medical care; referrals
Restrictions: Clients must be sober.
Admissions Process: Individuals can self-refer or have a referral from a social services agency.

Betty's Place - Boston YWCA
40 Berkley St.
Boston, MA 02116
617 482-1126
Capacity: 20 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: 6 months/6 months out.
Services: Counseling/clothing by referral; 1 meal/day; storage lockers.
Restrictions: Clients must be sober and out of the shelter between 7:45am-6pm.  A 7pm 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: 6 months in/6 months out.
Services: Counseling by referral; 1 meal/day; clothing by referral; storage lockers. Restrictions: Sober women; clients must be out of shelter between 7:45am-6pm.  A 7pm 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 10:30prn 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.

* Long Island Shelter
Tobin Building, Boston Harbor
PO Box 158
Boston, MA 02122
(617) 534-2526/ intake: 617-534-7101
Capacity: 300 men; 37 women
Length of Stay: No limit.
Wait list: Check in by 2pm
Services: Counseling; clothing; handicap accessible; request service; storage lockers. Restrictions: Must be over 18.
Referral: Self

* New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans
17 Court Street
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 371-1800
Capacity: 250 men; 16 women
Length of Stay: No limit.
Wait list: Check in daily from 4pm-6:30pm; intake cots report at 7:45pm
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 11pm 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 mustcall and report by 7:30pm; first come first serve basis
Services: Advocacy; case management; meals; referrals.
Restrictions: Clients must report in at 7:30pm 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: 290 men.
Length of Stay: No limit.
Services: Counseling; 3 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 Inn
363 Albany Street
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 521-7189
Capacity: 70 women; 40 bed are transitional*
Length of Stay: No limit.
Services: Counseling; 2 meals/day; Spanish; handicap accessible; medical clinic; storage lockers;  emergency clothing; washing machines
Restrictions: Women only; 8:30pm curfew
Referral: Self -Client must submit name to enter the daily lottery from 2:30-3:45pm.

* Rosie's Place
889 Harrison Ave.
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 442-9322
Capacity: 20 women
Length of Stay:  Varies depending on client's needs.
Wait List: Lottery begins each morning Mon.-Fri. at 8am and Sat-Sun at 10am and ends at 2:30pm
Services: Counseling; 3 meals/day; clothing; Spanish; handicap accessible; nurse & doctor once/week; day programs; workshops; storage lockers; mail service; showers and laundry.
Restrictions: Clients must be women, sober, 18 years of age or older and adhere to a 9pm curfew.
Referral: Self.

* St. Patrick's Shelter
270 Washington St.
Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 628-3015
Capacity: 35 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 after 5pm, or be at the pick up site at 19 Brookline St. by 4pm.
Restrictions: Clients must be women, sober, and out of the shelter by 7:30 am.
Referral: Self and hospitals.
 
* Salvation Army Cambridge Shelter
402 Mass. Ave.
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 8am 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 7:00am 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 7pm-8am (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) 983-0351 x4
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 --must exit shelter by 8am Mon-Fri. and 9am on the weekends. 
Restrictions: 18 years of age or older; must be capable of self care and able to leave each morning
Referral: Self; spring and summer arrive for intake at 3:30 to 7:00pm and in the fall and winter 3:30pm-6:00pm.

* Shelter Inc - Cambridge Shelter (Heading Home)
109 School Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 547-1885
Capacity: 15 men; 6 women.
Length of Stay: 1- 3 emergency stay days; some extensions are granted based on goals set with case manager.
Services: Case management; 3 meals/day on weekends; clothing; day programs; storage facilities. Languages: Spanish.
Restrictions: Clients must be sober, 18 years of age or older, an adhere to a 10 pm curfew.
Referral: Social service gencies, case managers

* United Homes Adult Shelter
540 Columbia Road
Dorchester, MA 02125
(617) 265-4515
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; last van 8:30pm (Must be transported by van)
Referral: Self referral

* Woods Mullen Shelter (Boston Public Health Commission)
784 Rear Mass. Ave.
Boston, MA 02119
617 534-2526
Capacity: 124 men; 66 women. 
Length of Stay: No limit.
Wait List: First come, first serve.  Bed sign-up starts at 2pm; it is recommended clients arrive around 1pm.
Services: Advocacy; counseling; nurse + referral; 3 meals/day; clothing; Spanish; medical care; transportation.
Restrictions: Wet (alcohol permitted but clients must maintain compliance and corporation) no drug use in shelter.
Referral: Self --t must schedule a time meet with a case manager for an intake at the shelter.