About us
The Coalition’s goal is to bring together key leaders and stakeholders across all relevant systems and sectors to develop and advance a unified agenda for creating the Supportive Housing needed to address chronic and high need homelessness in Massachusetts.
United Way of Massachusetts Bay
“We believe in the possibility of vibrant, abundant, prosperous, healthy and equitable future through the power of the united collective.”
United Way exists to build more equitable communities, together. With over 85 years of local impact in eastern Massachusetts, we work with and for our communities to build economic prosperity and enable everyone–across races and ethnicities–to share in the knowledge, wealth and resources available. We believe that the key to unlocking opportunity is uniting people, and we bring together individuals, community leaders, corporate partners, legislators and organizations to build a powerful engine of change. Because together, we have the opportunity to build a movement-one that brings the right people, resources and solutions together to solve our region’s most entrenched inequities, create economic prosperity across races and ethnicities and uplift those who have been historically marginalized.
Citizens Housing and Planning Association
“At the core of our work, we believe that every person in Massachusetts should have a safe, healthy, and affordable place to call home.”
Founded in 1967 by community leaders recognizing housing as a critical civil rights issue, the Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) aims to promote the production and preservation of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families while fostering diverse and sustainable communities through planning and development.
CHAPA played a key role in creating the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Law (Chapter 40B), which ensures safe and affordable homes for low- and moderate-income individuals in every city and town in the Commonwealth and has advocated for various Housing Bond Bills to fund affordable housing initiatives statewide. CHAPA also contributed to the development of state rental subsidy programs, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, and the nation’s strongest expiring-use law (Chapter 40T).
Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance
“At the Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance (MHSA), we believe that ending homelessness requires transforming the way Massachusetts addresses it.”
Founded in 1988, the Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance (MHSA) is a nonprofit advocacy organization with nearly 100 community-based member agencies across the state. Rooted in local experiences, MHSA unites these agencies and partners around a shared vision of a Commonwealth where everyone has access to stable housing and essential services.
Homelessness is a public health crisis, as well as an economic one, and it is the result of system failures, as people struggling with housing affordability, medical and behavioral health conditions and other challenges fall through the cracks in the systems that are meant to serve them. Too often, these individuals are forced to rely on expensive emergency room and hospital visits, the corrections system, emergency shelters and the streets to provide them with a place to stay. “But hope exists. We know these challenges are not insurmountable because we’ve seen how the creation of long-term housing solutions aimed at ending homelessness changes lives.”
Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness
“We work together across Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire Counties to prevent and end homelessness through a Housing First approach that centers racial equity.”
The Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness (WMNEH) connects over 700 individuals and 200 organizations across Western MA, including elected officials and state agency leaders.
The Network achieves its mission by bringing together providers and partners from various sub-populations—individuals, families, youth, and veterans—to share best practices and resources. It coordinates with state agencies and legislators for a regional response to homelessness, advocates for relevant budget and policy priorities, and supports training on current practices with local Continuums of Care. Additionally, the Network maintains an online platform through its Blog, reaching 750 subscribers with advocacy opportunities, and organizes annual gatherings for legislators and partners to review impacts and push for reforms.
Massachusetts Association for Mental Health
“MAMH envisions a day when all Massachusetts residents have access to the social and economic opportunities that protect overall health and promote resilience.”
The Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc. (MAMH) was established in 1913 as the Massachusetts Society for Mental Hygiene, part of a movement initiated by Clifford Whittingham Beers to improve mental health practices and public awareness. MAMH has focused on prevention and the social determinants of health, advocating for safe, affordable housing as essential for mental well-being. It has been instrumental in community-based housing initiatives since the 1960s and launched the "People are Waiting" campaign to highlight unmet housing needs for mental health clients. MAMH has been a leader in promoting the rights of individuals with mental health conditions to live in integrated settings.
MAMH convenes stakeholders from the behavioral health and public health sectors to tackle policy, budget, and legal issues affecting individuals at risk or living with behavioral health conditions.
