In Her Words

A family in transitional housing seeks a second chance

This family has been recommended by Brookview House.

In the words of Mrs. A: "For roughly 17 years, my family lived in the same three-bedroom apartment...in October 2010, I implored my landlord to fix the significant conditions of disrepair that existed...including the lack of adequate heat, a broken, drafty window in the living room, and substantial water damage in my bathroom that was caused by a leak upstairs. The water damage to my bathroom was so extensive that I stopped using the electric outlet on one of the sodden walls out of fear that it would cause a short and, potentially, a fire. The apartment was so poorly heated and insulated that, even with the thermostat set to 80° and space heaters operating in every room, my family and I struggled to stay warm. The landlord refused to remedy these conditions, insisting that the apartment was in perfect condition. I could not afford to make the repairs myself; I lived paycheck to paycheck and struggled to meet even my family’s routine expenses. With winter quickly approaching, I did the only thing I could to ensure that my family had a warm place to live: I called the City of Boston’s Inspectional Services Department (“ISD”) to report the lack of heat in my apartment. ISD cited my landlord for that violation after an inspection on December 14, 2010. I believe that the landlord sought to evict me in retaliation for my complaints about the condition of my apartment and that he refused to resolve the case amicably because I had called ISD."

Since then, Mrs. A and her three children, ages 17, 16 and two, have been living in transitional housing, a crucial step up from homelessness but a painful departure from their longtime home. Mrs. A applied and qualifies for affordable housing, but owed utility expenses prevent her and her family from moving in.

A single mom with full-time work, Mrs. A has always been driven by providing a stable environment for her children. The last place they lived was the only home her kids had ever known. $1000 by February 14th clears up her debt and allows this family to move to permanent housing. For two teenagers, it is a second chance during a pivotal time. For mom, it is the reassurance she needs that things will be okay. Can you help?

Brookview House has been helping Boston families break the cycle of homelessness and poverty to achieve personal and economic self-sufficiency since 1990.