Brookview House Hails Its 35 Years Of Preventing Family Homelessness

Brookview House started with an ideal in the minds of a group of church friends who were not willing to accept family homelessness in Boston, and now 35 years later, they are celebrating how that ideal has shaped how family.

Brookview House Marks 35 Years of Transforming Lives and Uplifting Community

Since 1990, Brookview has Moved More Than 1,200 Families into Permanent Housing and Helped Shape National Approach to Family Homelessness 

BOSTON – Oct. 28th, 2025 – Thirty-five years ago, Brookview House (“Brookview”) opened its doors to families experiencing homelessness. It was one of the first programs in the country to offer transitional housing to mothers and children facing homelessness, uniquely pairing housing opportunities with programs and services on site, including childcare. Today, Brookview is marking the occasion with the release of an “Intergenerational Impact Report” that aims to capture the organization’s overall impact since its founding in 1990.  

Brookview’s many notable achievements include creating the first youth development program in Massachusetts specifically designed for school-age children experiencing homelessness. Licensed in 1996, this program changed how we nurture, educate, and engage children experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts. Brookview also founded the Dorchester Women’s Safety Network (WSN) in 2009 to address the intersection of homelessness and domestic violence, which would later be cited as a national model by the National Center on Family Homelessness for its innovative, culturally specific approach. 

“Brookview has always been a beacon of hope in this community for low-income families and families experiencing homelessness,” said Deborah Collins, CEO of Brookview House. “We are proud of the work we have done to stabilize families and set them up to achieve further success, and we are equally proud of our courageous caregivers and determined youth who remind us every day why we do this work.” 

Over its 35 years, Brookview has moved a total of 1,250 families into permanent housing and overall supported 13,600 individuals with housing and services. One hundred percent of families maintain permanent housing for at least two years after leaving Brookview, and last year one hundred percent of Brookview youth moved to the next grade or graduated. Brookview adults and youth alike have gone on to earn MBAs, become social workers, public health researchers, and many find their calling in working with others experiencing homelessness and poverty.  

“Brookview is the safety net that so many families desperately need,” said Evelyne Martial, attorney, diversity consultant and former Brookview Board member. “When you walk into Brookview, there’s a real sense of coming home. Brookview gives people the kind of warmth and security they need to rebuild their lives.” 

The need for Brookview’s services is far more dire than it was in 1990, with recent budget cuts, shelter term limits, and a soaring cost of living and lack of affordable housing in Boston. Massachusetts remains one of the leading states for family homelessness in the U.S. Between 2023 and 2024, Massachusetts had a 74 percent increase in family homelessness (9,512 more people). Today, three of every four people experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts (76%) are doing so in families with children, the highest share in the country.

Transforming Lives and Uplifting Community for 35 Years: An Intergenerational Impact Report from Brookview House can be read in full on the Brookview website now. Hard copies will be available at Brookview’s 35th anniversary celebration event in early November.   

About Brookview House

Founded in 1990, Brookview is a Black- and Afro-Latina women-led organization that works for justice, equity and systemic change for low-income mothers and children in Boston. People of color are disproportionately impacted by economic and racial inequality, experiencing the trauma of homelessness and poverty at a higher rate as a result. Brookview uniquely understands the pain and hardship its families face because the team lives in and is representative of the community it serves. Through a two-generation, culturally-responsive approach, Brookview provides housing and a broad range of supportive programs to improve educational achievement, health and wellbeing, and economic independence. 

Media Contact:

Shel Senai, shel@flypaperpr.com, 617-372-0421

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