Homelessness & shelter
Shelter, transitional housing and basic services for people experiencing homelessness.
Residents consistently ask for more shelter beds, day centers with hygiene and food, and housing with support for youth and people with addiction.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
117 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 48 | 3.9% | 14 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 36 | 3.0% | 15 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 33 | 2.5% | 17 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
More shelters and shelter beds
Residents in every cycle ask for more places to sleep indoors, including overnight, winter and neighborhood-based shelters.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Day centers and hygiene services
Residents ask for walk-in spaces with showers, restrooms, laundry, health services and links to other help, including in Allston/Brighton and near Mass and Cass.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Food and meals
Residents repeatedly ask for meals, food banks or food programs for people experiencing homelessness, alone or alongside shelter.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Housing with addiction support
Residents ask for housing, transitional housing or rehab-linked shelter for people who are homeless and struggling with addiction.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26
Housing for homeless youth
Residents ask for supportive or transitional housing and shelter beds for youth and young adults who are homeless or aging out of care.
Raised in 2024–25, 2026–27
2024–25
Youth and family housing dominated, often paired with calls to spend the full $5 million, alongside ideas for converting vacant buildings and building tiny homes.
2025–26
Residents emphasized overnight shelters with food and hygiene supplies, and several raised safety concerns about street homelessness and addiction, with some proposing day centers instead of enforcement.
2026–27
Ideas were fewer and shorter, centered on more shelter beds, meals, outreach and service centers, with some specific asks for young adult beds and shelter grants.
New in 2026–27
New or more specific asks include funding existing shelters' daily needs, grants for shelter beds and renovations, heating and cooling centers, mobile outreach workers, a permanent soup kitchen in East Boston and bank accounts for people who are homeless.
Funding so far
The funded Bridging the Gap housing assistance pool addresses housing stability, but no winning project yet covers recurring asks for more shelter beds, day centers with hygiene services, meals, addiction-linked housing or youth-specific housing.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
Bridging the Gap: Assistance for Housing Stability
2025–26 · $200,000
This proposal establishes a flexible funding pool to help Boston residents at risk of or experiencing homelessness to secure or maintain housing.
Departments that often lead this work
- Mayor's Office of Housing
- Boston Public Health Commission
Suggested with AI; not an official assignment of responsibility.
Ideas in Homelessness & shelter
117 ideas
2024–25: 48 · 2025–26: 36 · 2026–27: 33
- Invest in small businesses to benefit homeless peopleResident asks for investment in small businesses with benefits going back to people experiencing homelessness so they can get needed help.2025–26Downtown
- Housing for people with substance use issuesResident asks for housing for individuals with substance use issues to reduce homelessness and open opportunities for them.2025–26City-wide
- Housing programs in Boston public schoolsResident asks for housing programs accessible through Boston public schools for students and families who lack housing or shelter.2025–26City-wide
- Shelters for homeless people across the cityResident asks for shelters around the city, saying people of color are being removed from their homes and need a place to stay.2025–26City-wide
- Shelter and food for people experiencing homelessnessResident says homelessness is a major problem in Boston and many people lack shelter or food, and wants this addressed so everyone is safe.2025–26City-wide
- Housing for homeless people, including those with addictionResident asks for housing, using existing rentals or new construction, for homeless people including those with drug addiction, with income-based rent to provide safety, treatment access and a path to stability.2025–26City-wide
- Safe temporary shelters with servicesCreate accessible, safe temporary shelters with basic services and links to employment and health programs to help homeless people, many of them Black and Latino, rebuild their lives.2025–26City-wideSubmitted in Spanish
- Walk-in day centers for unhoused and addicted peopleResident proposes day centers offering hygiene, health checks and coordinated services for unhoused people and those with addiction, as an alternative to enforcement.2025–26City-wide
- More shelters and a rehab shelterCreate more shelters, especially for women and children, plus a rehab shelter for homeless people with addictions, to help them get back on their feet.2025–26City-wide
- Shelter and food for people on the streetThe resident asks the City to invest in shelter and food for people living on the street to improve their quality of life and provide safe spaces.2025–26City-wide
- Housing and work for homeless migrants and people with addictionResident asks for resources for homeless people who come from other countries or struggle with drug addiction, so they have a place to live and a place to work.2025–26City-wide
- Help for people needing food and shelterResident asks for help for people who need food and a roof over their heads.2025–26City-wide
- More overnight homeless shelters with food and hygieneResident asks for more shelters where homeless people can sleep overnight, with food and hygiene necessities provided.2025–26City-wide
- More shelters for people in need or addictedResident asks for more shelters for people in need or struggling with addiction because too many people are living on the streets.2025–26City-wideSubmitted in Spanish
- More help for people experiencing homelessnessProvide more assistance to people facing homelessness, as the resident feels the neighborhood has become unsafe with many people on the street.2025–26South End
- Homeless day service center in Allston/BrightonCreate a service center, at least a day program, for homeless people in Allston/Brighton, since the nearest programs are in Cambridge and many local homeless residents are Black or Latino.2025–26Allston
- Shelter for households over income limitsThe resident asks for funding to expand shelter services for individuals and families who exceed income limits but cannot afford housing, to ease the cliff effect.2025–26City-wide
- More homeless shelters for nighttimeThe resident asks for more homeless shelters so people can sleep indoors at night and keep warm in cold weather.2025–26City-wide
- More overnight shelters with food and hygiene suppliesResident asks for more homeless shelters where people can sleep overnight, along with food and hygiene necessities.2025–26City-wide
- Housing for single fathers and childrenResident asks for transitional and permanent housing for single fathers and their children with visitation space, support services and legal advocacy, since fathers in custody disputes face housing insecurity.2025–26City-wide