Pine Street Inn's 2021 Annual Report: Reimagining Shelter. Accelerating Housing.

Reimagining Shelter.

Accelerating Housing.

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I’m originally from East Boston, and have also lived in Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York. I always considered Boston my home, so I came back many years ago. When I returned, I started on a downward spiral and lost my housing.

Then I got hit by a car, broke my ankle and was brought to the hospital. When I was discharged, I stayed outside. At the time, I was more afraid of being in a shelter than I was of sleeping on the street. As I struggled, I realized I was too old to be living like that.

Eventually, I found my way to the Women’s Inn. At the time, I was addicted to opiates, and I wanted to deal with my addiction. Staff helped me find a methadone clinic – the people at Pine Street saved my life.

My case manager worked with me to get my own studio apartment in a building with a lot of support. I’m so grateful.

I’m committed to being sober, but it’s hard sometimes. My sister lives in Chelsea, so I’m lucky to have her support. I just turned 62, and I feel lucky to wake up every day.

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Reimagining Shelter When the pandemic started, Pine Street Inn’s positive rate was 36%. From the summer of 2020 until present, the rate has remained under 1%. This was made possible with a variety of new protocols, including providing distance in our shelters with additional space in college dormitories and hotels, deep cleaning, hand washing and mask-wearing.

In addition, we have distanced our beds and added plastic partitions and UV lights.

We were also fortunate to have been one of the earliest recipients of vaccines for our guests and frontline staff.

This experience has demonstrated that we cannot go back to crowded shelters. Our goal is for shelter stays to be brief – or better yet, to prevent people from entering shelter in the first place. How do we move forward?

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Accelerating Housing The pandemic has clearly reinforced the need for large-scale housing: there were far fewer positive cases among our housing tenants. In addition, housing with support services saves over $10,000 per person/per year on emergency room visits and other emergency services. With a 95% retention rate, we know this approach works.

Developing new housing takes time and financial resources, and our challenge is to find ways to accelerate housing development. Two projects currently under will have a significant impact on our housing development. A building to be constructed at 3368 Washington Street in Jamaica Plain will provide 140 units of housing, and the renovated YWCA building at 140 Clarendon Street in Back Bay will offer 111 units.

When completed, both locations will provide support and services to ensure that tenants remain stable and housed.

This past year, seven “micro-units” were built in the Pine Street Men’s Inn shelter building to create permanent supportive housing for men experiencing chronic homelessness.

These units provide intensive support in a familiar setting, creating a greater opportunity for them to thrive.

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Adapting to a New World As we have continued to adapt to the ever-changing world of the Covid pandemic, we have adjusted many aspects of our lives.

Staying closer to home, where we feel safe and secure, has been one of the major ways to deal with Covid.

Those who are experiencing homelessness do not have this option, and the ongoing pandemic has caused Pine Street Inn to look closely at every part of our operations.

We expanded our prevention program, especially our telephone triage, where specially trained staff speak with those entering shelter to find better alternatives. The triage team fielded thousands of calls over the past year, and successfully prevented hundreds of individuals from spending a single night in shelter.

Our volunteers have always played a critical role in our work, and we quickly pivoted to “virtual” volunteering to keep our volunteers, staff and guests healthy and safe. Many volunteers participated in virtual drives, collecting supplies, food items and gift cards for tenants, without coming on-site.

My mom passed away while I was living with her on Mission Hill in Boston. I used to work as a security guard, and I got laid off. I couldn’t find work and then was unable to pay the rent, so I lost my housing.

Then I slept on the street one freezing night in December. I didn’t have the apartment I had lived in anymore and there was no one I could stay with. It was awful – the worst night of my life.

Finally, I went to Pine Street and had a case manager who helped me find the apartment I’m living in now. I’ve been here for about six years. I have my room all set up the way I like, and I have freedom that I didn’t have in a shelter.

Even though I usually keep to myself, I’ve gotten to know people in the building. It’s been good to have a community here, especially during Covid when I couldn’t really go places.

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Moving Forward With the high cost of living in Boston, affordable housing continues to be a challenge, and the threat of evictions still looms. With the successful completion of a $50 million fundraising campaign to create, preserve and sustain our housing, we look forward to moving greater numbers of individuals off the street, out of shelter and into the safety and stability of permanent supportive housing.

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Growing up, I lived in a triple decker in Mattapan. My sister lived on the third floor, my mother and I were on the second floor, and my aunt lived on the first floor. First my mother passed away, then my sister, and soon after, one of my brothers died.

When my mom and sister were alive, the place was beautiful, but I wasn’t able to keep it up after they were gone, so I rented a place from a family friend. She wanted me to do things around the house, but it was hard for me to go up and down stairs, and I finally said, “I can’t.” That was the end of our friendship.

Then the electricity and water were turned off, and I couldn’t live like that. Someone suggested I go to Pine Street to see if they could help me. I needed to get out of that apartment — and I had no other options.

I was at Pine Street for about two years before I moved to my apartment. My case manager helped me get my medical needs met and find housing.

I love living here, and I am feeling good.

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Our Impact in the Community Pine Street Inn Headquarters Permanent Supportive Housing Emergency Shelter Street Outreach Job Training Recovery Program Veterans’ Houses

Pine Street Inn

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444 Harrison Avenue

617.892.9170

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Boston, MA 02118

www.pinestreetinn.org

@pinestreetinn

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