WELCOME
Metro Housing | Boston
2023 Impact Report
Welcome to Metro Housing’s FY23 Impact Report.
As part of any year in review, Metro Housing has much to share. Not only have we reached nearly 12,000 families served through our federal and state voucher programs, but we also had another big year with financial assistance.
Meanwhile, despite the progress cited above, homelessness in Massachusetts continues to be in the news a lot recently, for good reason.
Even before the most recent dramatic uptick in the state which led Governor Healey to declare an emergency in the Commonwealth this past August, the number of families in Massachusetts who are homeless continues to increase to its highest level in history. The state shelter system was nearly at full capacity at the time we went to press, with close to 7,500 families in shelter.
We share this to underscore the continued high demand for our services along the continuum from homelessness prevention to economic self-sufficiency. Due to this high demand, some program participants have experienced longer delays. We know that this is frustrating for those who rely upon us for critical services.
​
Metro Housing is taking steps that we are certain will lead to improved customer service and responsiveness. Our dedicated team of Housing Specialists, Case Managers, Inspectors, and administrative staff will continue to work hard every day to meet the needs of our participants and property owners.
In FY23, Metro Housing continued to administer federal and state funded programs that provided rental subsidies to nearly 12,000 households. This included more than 7,500 federal vouchers and more than 4,300 state vouchers.
While that work continues, Metro Housing recognizes that to make inroads into the Commonwealth’s affordable housing crisis, Massachusetts residents deserve significant policy changes on Beacon Hill. At the request of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), Metro Housing submitted our housing priorities and policy recommendations earlier this year. Those recommendations included:
​
-
Target state vouchers for longest stayers in emergency shelter and families for whom there is no other exit strategy.
​​
-
Ensure adequate investment in the Housing Consumer Education Center (HCEC) model which supports households as they navigate housing options so they may remain stably housed or secure new housing.
​​
-
The Commonwealth should implement not just a single application for state-funded, privately owned housing but also an online federal voucher application system.
Metro Housing distributed more than $44 million through the state-funded RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition) program to more than 8,300 families.
The following pages tell the personal stories of families and individuals who have been helped by the many programs and services offered by Metro Housing. We hope that they will inspire you like they inspire us to keep doing the work we do every day.
​
In closing, we want to thank all our generous donors and community partners who continue to support our work in ensuring that everyone in Greater Boston has a place to call home.
.jpg)
Elizabeth Gruber
Christopher T. Norris
Cynthia Lacasse