Housing Families and Citizens Inn Announce Plans to Unite, Strengthening Services Across the North Shore 

Malden – September 15, 2026 

Housing Families and Citizens Inn today announced that their Boards of Directors have signed a Letter of Intent to pursue a union between the two agencies, with a target date of November 1, 2026. 

This announcement follows a comprehensive due diligence process conducted with outside advisors. 

For more than 40 years, both organizations have been deeply rooted in the communities they serve, providing critical support to individuals and families across the North Shore. This letter of intent reflects a shared commitment to long-term sustainability, operational excellence, and building stronger, more responsive programs that can better meet evolving community needs. 

“This partnership is about building a stronger foundation for the future,” said Laura Rosi, CEO of Housing Families. “By bringing together the strengths of two well-established organizations, we are positioning ourselves to deliver high-quality services more effectively, invest in our people and programs, and remain resilient in an increasingly challenging environment. Most importantly, this partnership allows us to deepen our impact while staying true to the communities that have shaped our work for more than 40 years.” 

“At a time when the need for our services has never been greater, we’re excited to work with an organization that shares our values and our commitment to those we serve,” added Melissa González, Executive Director of Citizens Inn. “This union would mean more resources and greater capacity behind the programs our community depends on, now and for decades to come.” 

Working together as a single organization, the agencies would expand their capacity to serve communities across the North Shore, strengthening their collective impact in advancing housing stability, food security, and overall well-being. A unified organization would build on the strengths of both agencies, creating greater opportunities for innovation, advocacy, and sustainable growth while preserving the community-centered approach that has defined each organization for decades. 

As a united organization, Citizens Inn and Housing Families would be better positioned to respond to emerging community needs, achieve greater impact, and amplify the voices of the individuals and families they support. 

About Citizens Inn 

Citizens Inn breaks the patterns of instability that lead to homelessness and hunger for every individual served. Based in Peabody, Massachusetts, the organization provides emergency shelter and transitional supportive housing for families, affordable housing, a food pantry and community meals program through Haven from Hunger, and a Community Resource Center, open to the general public, offering direct services and referrals to support food and housing security. For more than 40 years, Citizens Inn has helped individuals and families across the North Shore build lasting stability. Learn more at www.citizensinn.org. 

About Housing Families 

Since 1986, Housing Families has been providing housing and wellness services serving nearly 7,000 people each year. Housing Families provides homelessness prevention and legal services, emergency shelter, and permanent supportive housing for families and individuals. In addition to housing programs, Housing Families offers wellness services including food and grocery assistance, a therapeutic and academic out-of-school time program (EnrichEd), and clinical mental health services (CareCollective). Housing Families’ mission is to ensure housing stability to strengthen families, individuals and communities. Learn more at www.housingfamilies.org.