Metro Housing Boston Director of Housing Support Felisha Marshall discusses supporting homeless seniors in this Boston Herald op/ed.
In the heart of Greater Boston, there is a population often overlooked and underserved – elderly individuals who face chronic homelessness, struggle to make ends meet and have limited, if any, support from friends and family. Last year’s homeless census in Boston found a more than 17% increase in people experiencing homelessness year-over-year, while survey data shows that 30% of unhoused adults at emergency shelters and day programs in Boston are 55 and over.
Due to overcrowding at shelters across Massachusetts, recent rule changes require current occupants to demonstrate a path to independence as a requisite for continued occupancy. Metro Housing Boston is tackling this situation head on through its Specialized Intensive Programs and Services Project (SIPS), which supports under-resourced individuals facing chronic homelessness due to factors such as advanced age, addiction, physical and/or mental disabilities, and incarceration. From housing assistance to health care access, SIPS offers personalized service plans tailored to each client’s unique circumstances, empowering them to navigate the challenges that often accompany homelessness. This helps not only keep a roof over their heads temporarily but creates a path to stability.
Every day at Metro Housing|Boston, we encounter real people with real stories who are impacted by housing instability. One client, Cynthia, was in need after experiencing homelessness and living in her car. This was compounded when she was diagnosed with glaucoma, and subsequently found it difficult to advocate for herself and her needs. Now, thanks to her SIPS case manager, she is receiving the support she needs with purchasing furniture, paying for move-in costs, and connecting with a Personal Care Assistant to help with day-to-day activities. Removing the stress and anxiety around addressing basic needs gives clients like Cynthia the ability to focus on stabilizing herself and her family.
Replicating outcomes like this will require a collaborative approach among providers and investors. Governor Maura Healey is taking on the complex issue of housing, and her proposals demonstrate the urgency with which her administration is approaching it. She recognizes that people need and deserve stable homes and sees housing as a key component of health. In recent comments on Boston Public Radio, Governor Healey noted that now is “the time for collective action for the collective good.”
Governor Healey’s words echo the importance of community partnerships, which are the lifeblood of our work. Our recent partnership with The MolinaCares Accord and Senior Whole Health by Molina Healthcare is a prime example of this, beginning with their generous financial investment in the SIPS program. This has created new opportunities to provide access to critical services to our participants, including future mobile blood pressure screenings administered by Senior Whole Health employee volunteers. In addition to securing housing stability, being able to help our families proactively understand and address their medical needs is a rewarding new prospect, one that certainly would not be possible without working together as a community.
At its core, homelessness is not just a lack of shelter; it is a representation of deeper structural inequities. By investing in programs like SIPS, Metro Housing and its partners send a powerful message that every individual, regardless of their circumstances, deserves dignity, compassion, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Felisha Marshall is the Director of Housing Support at Metro Housing/Boston. Prior to working at Metro Housing Boston, she was in a leadership role at the MA Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD.) Before that she worked at the MA Rehabilitation Commission in the Statewide Head Injury program and at Metro Housing|Boston.
