Individuals:
The Kaszanek House is a transitional house in Malden for homeless adult men and women. Contact Tri-CAP’s Mobile Homeless Outreach Team at 781-322-4125 to find out if there is an opening.
Domestic Violence Victims:
Casa Myrna Vazquez/Safelink: If you need to find a shelter for victims of domestic violence, call 1-877-785-2020.
Respond: Respond can also help you find a domestic violence shelter and services for domestic violence.
Families:
If you need shelter and are pregnant or have a child under 21, go to the Malden office of the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) at 200 Pleasant Street, Malden, 781-388-7300. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) places homeless families in shelter, but their staff are physically located at the DTA (welfare) office. When there are no shelter openings, DHCD places families in motels or hotels. DHCD will try to place your family within 20 miles of your home. Your children have the right to continue in the school that they are currently in or, if you prefer, to go to a school closer to the shelter where you are placed. If you are placed over 20 miles from your home, you will be transferred back within 20 miles as soon as there is an opening.
If you are offered a shelter placement, you must take it. If you do not take a shelter placement that DHCD offers, you will not be offered another shelter option.
DHCD cannot provide you with shelter unless:
- you are homeless or
- within 48 hours of becoming homeless
DHCD can also provide shelter if you and your children are living in an unsafe situation, for e.g. if you are staying temporarily with others in a situation where there is violence, unsafe conditions, or substance abuse in the home or if you are fleeing domestic violence or fled domestic violence and have not had a permanent housing situation since fleeing the abusive situation.
DHCD can only place families in shelter if they have an income at or below 115% of poverty. DHCD must use your last 4 weeks of income or the income you expect over the next 4 weeks to calculate your eligibility for shelter. Some income does not “count” when DHCD is calculating your eligibility for shelter, so if your income is close to 115% of poverty, you should apply for shelter.
When you apply for shelter, DHCD will try to figure out if a small amount of financial assistance can help you avoid shelter. DHCD can offer you up to $4,000 in Homebase payments if that amount of money will keep you safely housed or help you move to new housing. You should think seriously about whether you can do this and whether the money will be enough. If you really have no place else to go, and especially if you are sleeping outside or in a dangerous situation, DHCD must place you in shelter.
If you are homeless but your income is above 115% of poverty, contact Tri-CAP at 781-322-4125 or the Massachusetts Coalition for Homeless at 781-585-7570 for help. You can also click here for a list of shelters that can help families who are not eligible for DTA shelter.
