Get The Help You Need
In order to prevent homelessness before it happens, Housing Families provides free legal advice to help clients stay in their homes, including free legal services like mediation, representation in court, referrals, and legal advice, all in the effort to achieve greater housing equity and well-being.
Chelsea Legal Services
99 Fourth Street, Suite 203
Chelsea, MA 02150
(781) 214-6533
Malden Legal Services
919 Eastern Ave
Malden, MA 02148
(781) 397-7000 x5721
Massachusetts Residents
919 Eastern Ave
Malden, MA 02148
(781) 322-9119
Our Solution
1%
year over year growth in people who received Housing Families’ free legal services from 2020 to 2021
1
evictions prevented annually by the Housing Families legal team
The National Alliance to End Homelessness has recognized Housing Families’ free legal services program as a best practice, which many other organizations have implemented.
Our Services
Free legal assistance is available to income eligible residents in Chelsea.
To support increased demand for free legal services and meet the eviction prevention needs, Housing Families has opened an office at 99 4th Street. Our free lawyers are collaborating with the City of Chelsea to continue critical rental assistance, eviction prevention, and legal support as part of a comprehensive anti-displacement strategy. Housing Families is available to support Chelsea residents with free legal help, utility and rental assistance, case management, and emergency housing.
Chelsea residents can receive assistance regardless of immigration status, income, or background. Free legal assistance specifically is available based on income eligibility to residents in Chelsea.
Chelsea Offices
99 Fourth Street, Suite 203
Chelsea, MA 02150
(781) 214-6533
Free legal assistance is available to income eligible residents in Malden.
The City of Malden’s Office of Housing Stability helps residents find and keep housing by providing services, assistance, and information to Malden renters, homeowners, and landlords. Services include rental assistance, eviction prevention, legal assistance, landlord-tenant mediation, housing search, fuel assistance and more.
Income-eligible Malden residents may qualify for help paying for fuel and electricity costs, including a discounted rate on electricity and gas through National Grid’s discount rate program. More than 2,500 Malden families receive the discounted rate, but we estimate that another 10,000 Malden families are eligible.
The Office of Housing Stability is operated by Housing Families, Inc., a Malden-based nonprofit organization contracted by the City to provide these services. Housing Families has addressed housing insecurity in Malden and surrounding communities since 1986, including many partnerships with the City of Malden to provide rental assistance, homelessness prevention, and other services that help achieve housing stability in the community. Housing Families’ legal services program has been providing eviction prevention services in Malden for more than 30 years.
Malden Offices
919 Eastern Ave
Malden, MA 02148
(Appointments only)
(781) 397-7000 x5721
Our free Legal Services team provides no-cost legal representation, advice, outreach, and referrals to MA residents with low incomes who would otherwise struggle to gain access to counsel. The program focuses on providing free legal advice on housing, eviction prevention (including resolving disputes with landlords), retaining subsidies, and other civil issues that can impact a person’s ability to remain in their home. Housing Families offerings also include landlord mediation services. We also administer rental assistance as needed to help low-income families stabilize their tenancies and avoid eviction.
The CDC moratorium is no longer in effect but there are other protections that can help keep people in their homes. An important part of our work is making sure our clients understand their legal rights and know how to assert them. We also connect tenants to homelessness prevention funding and help them navigate through the application process.
Heather Van Orman, Esq.
Senior Attorney and Legislative Affairs & Policy Manager, Housing Families