Older women are among those facing rising rates of housing insecurity. In Massachusetts, a new $7 million shelter may help to address the crisis.
Here's what to know
At a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony, Lowell-based nonprofit Community Teamwork Inc. introduced a new facility for 50 women who need safe housing outside family shelters or mixed-gender settings, local GBH News reported.
The facility, funded through a mix of public and private support, is expected to start housing 50 women in a few weeks. Rather than serving only as an overnight option, the shelter will provide residents with a place to stay during the day so that they have the time and space to complete housing applications and connect with support services.
The added capacity comes amid a severe local shortage in temporary shelter space. Existing emergency shelters in the area can serve only about 43% of those in need of housing, based on an analysis by the National Alliance to End Homelessness cited by GBH.
Residents will also receive two meals each day.
"It's really hard to do a job interview if you're hungry," Sean Wilson, vice president of homeless services for Community Teamwork, told the news outlet. "It's hard to fall asleep when you're hungry."
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
More background
Experts told GBH the shelter is opening as homelessness among women is increasing, especially for those over 55.
In Massachusetts, women outnumbered men among people experiencing homelessness in both 2023 and 2024, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
The Urban Institute's Housing Matters initiative has suggested that critical life events — such as unemployment, divorce, and death of a spouse — may also disproportionately impact housing stability among older women.
Housing experts also say that homelessness among women can be harder to see, with many couch surfing, living in cars, or moving from place to place rather than staying in shelters.
Under the Trump administration, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development also moved to discontinue tracking gender in national homeless data.
Why it matters
Community Teamwork said its approach aims to end the night-to-night scramble for a bed by offering longer stays and wraparound support.
Mayor Erik Gitschier told GBH this kind of shelter is particularly important in his city because nearby communities often send people to Lowell for assistance. And community advocates say shelter-to-housing programs tend to outperform overnight-only shelters.
For Kim, 58, the biggest difference is the prospect of no longer having to figure out each day where she will be able to stay.
"We'll be able to stay there throughout the day," she told the local news outlet. "So with that also comes, we can make our calls, do our paperwork that we need to get done to housing or doctors."
Where can I learn more?
Similar housing and homelessness pressures are playing out elsewhere in Massachusetts and beyond, as these stories examine:
• Worcester city councilors rejected plans to fine homeless residents and called for more compassion instead.
• In Boston, city leaders took up student homelessness after a report found more than 10% unhoused.
• In Florida, Second Heart Homes used a $600,000 grant to expand supportive housing options.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
