The State of Massachusetts — Cambridge Continuum of Care

Massachusetts

Massachusetts is one of two states in the country that provides the "right to shelter" for families. This means that if a person is a resident of the State and has a child, they cannot by law be left out in the cold. Because of this, Massachusetts has one of the lowest rates of unsheltered persons with children in the nation. [1]

Massachusetts has 12 local planning groups, called Continuums of Care (CoC), that collect homelessness information in separate databases known as Homelessness Management Information Systems (HMIS). The Mass Interagency Council on Homelessness developed the Rehousing Data Collective (RDC) to aggregate this state-wide data to allow for better planning, program development, and ultimately the facilitation of quality care for homeless individuals. The RDC data gives insight to the public about the state of homelessness in the Commonwealth i.e., adults and children, those who are sheltered in an emergency shelter, Safe Haven, or transitional housing, and those who are unsheltered (on the streets, in cars, tents, and other places not meant for living)

The CoCs are supported and regulated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with regional planning bodies that coordinate housing and services funding for people experiencing homelessness. Massachusetts 12 CoC’s:

MA-500: Boston CoC
MA-502: Lynn CoC
MA-503: Cape Cod Islands CoC
MA-504: Springfield/Hampden County CoC
MA-505: New Bedford CoC
MA-506: Worcester City and County CoC
MA-507: Pittsfield/Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire County CoC
MA-509: Cambridge CoC
MA-511: Quincy, Brockton, Weymouth, Plymouth, City and County CoC
MA-515: Fall River CoC
MA-516: Massachusetts Balance of State CoC
MA-519: Attleboro, Taunton/Bristol County Coc

Every winter, on a coordinated single night, volunteers, homeless service providers, and staff across the state of Massachusetts conduct the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count of persons experiencing homelessness, including persons who are unsheltered and those who are staying in emergency shelters and transitional housing. These counts are submitted to HUD as part of a nationwide effort to count persons experiencing homelessness.

Massachusetts counted 15,507 persons experiencing homelessness during one night in February 2022. The total count included:

· 3,081 family households (9,976 persons)