BOSTON — The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and the Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced $5 million in funding over three years for two agencies in Boston to provide rent subsidies and intensive stabilization and support services to individuals impacted by mental health and substance use disorders.

Boston-based nonprofit organizations Commonwealth Land Trust and St. Francis House will provide housing and services for over 100 individuals in Boston by 2025. Both organizations have extensive experience providing low-threshold housing and Housing First models for which sobriety is not a requirement for accessing or maintaining housing. They also have experience in providing harm reduction services as well as experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness, substance use, mental illness, and co-occurring disorders.

• Commonwealth Land Trust plans to offer 25 units of housing with supportive services in Roxbury Crossing. 

• St. Francis House plans to offer:
  • 45 housing units with services for 96 individuals at The Helm in South Boston, to open by March 2024
  • 70 housing units with services at La Grange Street in the Chinatown neighborhood, to open November 2024

The Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) established the Recovery Housing and Services grant program in May 2022. The program was created to reduce housing instability, encourage and support treatment and recovery, and advance mental and physical health equity for Boston residents.

The primary goal of the initiative is to support individuals early in their recovery by offering stable, permanent housing and addressing their medical and mental health needs to promote self-sufficiency, reduce the risk of relapse, and foster engagement in ongoing recovery support services.

“Obtaining safe and stable housing is a critical step for individuals impacted by mental health and substance use disorders and those experiencing homelessness,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders. “Housing instability is often a barrier to a successful recovery. This combination of housing and services meets people where they are and support each individual’s path to recovery.

“Addressing social determinants of health – including housing – is a core component of our strategy to address substance use and addiction using a public health approach,” said Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke.

About Commonwealth Land Trust

Commonwealth Land Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that has been providing affordable housing and case management services in the Greater Boston area since 1985. CLT owns and manages over 350 units of affordable housing in twenty properties, providing housing and supportive services to over 650 of Massachusetts’ most vulnerable residents. Linking housing and care, CLT works to rebuild lives and communities.LT provides affordable apartments serving homeless and low- to moderate-income families, as well as supportive housing programs serving homeless, disabled, and very low-income individuals.

About St. Francis House

St. Francis House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in the heart of Downtown Boston. St. Francis House is the largest day shelter in Massachusetts, serving hundreds of individuals experiencing homelessness every single day. Guests are provided food, shelter, clothing, showers, and access to medical care, mail services, telephones, and computers. All guests have access to mental health support, substance use support, and housing navigation resources, and more through case management. Annually, St. Francis House provides more than 180,000 hot and nutritious meals to guests in need, 8,200 changes of clean clothing, including jackets, shoes, and backpacks, and over 10,000 medical appointments.

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