Creating Progressive Housing Solutions
At La Colaborativa, we believe everyone deserves access to safe and affordable housing in a dignified way. To address Greater Boston’s housing crisis and prevent the further displacement of families, we take a multifaceted approach that combines immediate support for housing needs, the cultivation of grassroots leadership, and advocacy for systemic policy changes. Our goal is to strengthen tenant protections and build more sustainable housing markets that work for all families in our community.
Every neighbor deserves the right to stable housing
Everyone deserves safe and affordable housing in a respectable manner. Our approach to Greater Boston’s housing crisis and the prevention of further displacement of our families is multifaceted, rooted in action and enacting policy change. We implement a comprehensive strategy that addresses the immediate housing needs of families, cultivates grassroots leadership, and advocates for systemic policy changes. Our goal is to strengthen tenant protections and create more sustainable housing markets for working families.
Triage
Connect with TriageTenancy Preservation
La Colaborativa’s tenancy prevention work seeks to support residents to keep and improve their housing. Tenancy is often undermined because families lack sufficient income for rent increases, have chronic health conditions, or have precarious jobs or are being mistreated in their jobs. Working closely with the stability and workforce development teams, La Colaborativa identifies which supports will address these issues and advance economic mobility before families are at risk of losing their housing.La Colaborativa’s dedicated staff is here to assist residents in applying for rental relief programs. These programs, including the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program, are available to undocumented families and offer significant resources to repay rent and keep families housed, including help with utility bills, and other housing-related expenses. Our team provides personalized assistance to help navigate the application process. Assistance is available by appointment only, either in person or over the phone. Please contact us to set up an appointment.
Eviction Defense & Fair Housing Advocacy
 La Colaborativa seeks to help tenants and landlords resolve housing disputes, facilitate communication, negotiate payment plans, and find solutions to avoid eviction and keep families housed. For families facing eviction through the court system, La Colaborativa connects residents to legal aid partners like Greater Boston Legal Services and Harvard Legal Aid Bureau for eviction defense. Staff also support families who face illegal eviction, like lockouts, to understand their rights and keep their housing even if they are undocumented or are subleasing a room.
Shelter Placement
Ensuring every member of our community has a safe place to stay is at the heart of our mission. In the absence of an emergency shelter in Chelsea, we provide temporary emergency housing for families in crisis through local hotels. Limited cash assistance funds are also available to help families cover emergency housing costs, ensuring they have the financial support needed to secure temporary shelter.
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Emergency Response
When an individual or family is facing crises, La Colaborativa is a central resource for finding stability. The organization is often the first phone call when a family has lost its housing or is experiencing homelessness, with its offices sheltering families for the night. Staff provide shelter placement assistance to individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing their housing, with temporary emergency housing solutions through local hotels and limited financial support for emergency housing costs.
Emergency Assistance Shelter
La Colaborativa took over management and operation of a state emergency assistance shelter for newly arrived immigrants. Utilizing best practices, La Colaborativa takes a resettlement approach and welcomes new families to its community with love, dignity, and respect. The organization delivers high quality, culturally responsive, and dignified services to families to prepare them for economic stability. It also leads community building work with elected officials, nearby homeowners, and local residents to promote understanding and a culture of welcome.
Tenant Education & Organizing
La Colaborativa offers Know Your Rights training for tenants, aiming to cultivate grassroots leaders who are well-versed in housing laws and tenant protections. These trainings empower participants to advocate for themselves and their neighbors, fostering a community that actively contributes to the movement for housing justice. Our team organizes buildings’ tenants to ensure accountability and equity in their living standards. By equipping residents with the knowledge and tools to address personal housing challenges and engage in broader advocacy efforts, these sessions support our statewide campaigns for policies that promote long-term housing equity.
Inspections
MADE Up to Code is an online tool that empowers Chelsea tenants by facilitating housing inspections and enabling direct communication with landlords. By leveraging the sanitary code, it enhances tenant agency, improves landlord accountability, and helps prevent unjust evictions, ensuring safer living conditions for all residents.
