Since incorporation in 1984, Lynn Shelter Association and Housing Opportunities Management Enterprises, has developed programming and shelter opportunities for the homeless individuals and families for the Greater Lynn Area of  Massachusetts.  During the 20 years of its existence LSA’s mission has remained the same although we have expanded our geographic base.  LSA is committed to work in communities and with populations where homelessness is prevalent; to insure equal access to our services; to educate the public and the community about our services and about the impact of homelessness on our community and on our state. 

As the need for shelter and the numbers of homeless increased in the Lynn area, LSA opened the emergency shelter in 1985 – six beds in St. Stephen’s Church.  In 1988, the shelter and LSA's administration offices were housed in trailers behind our current administration building while the MultiService Center was renovated.  McKinney Vento dollars from the federal government were used to do the renovations and the city of Lynn leased the building from the government for 30 years with a stipulated use clause. 

In the mid 90’s LSA purchased our buildings at 89-103 Liberty Street – across from the MultiService center and began Housing Opportunities Management Enterprises – a wholly owned subsidiary that provides below market rentals and that also houses LSA programming.  The Bridge House was established in 1988 as a family shelter in an old Victorian building on Baker Street in Lynn;  the Shelter Plus Care Program was established in collaboration with the Lynn Housing Authority for those individuals committed to moving beyond shelter life towards self-sufficiency); The Y Initiative was developed as a short term link to services and programs and is funded through MHSA; the TRansitions Program began in 1995 with apartment and scattered site housing for individuals who are nearly ready to go it alone.  

The Chronic Abuse Group Home and Veterans Stabilization Housing at Great Hill  were established in 2006 in ocnjunciton with HOPWA fundign for people living with HIV and AIDS.  At that same time, we added  The Day Program to address the needs of our guests returning to the work force and recovering from substance use. LSA programs provide and promote a continuum of care that empowers clients who are the most disenfranchised to strive for independence and self-sufficiency.   LSA programs are located in buildings and areas that are easily accessible by public transportation to best serve the homeless in our host City of Lynn and throughout the North Shore of Massachusetts.   

As we plan for the future, Lynn Shelter Association will continue to address the changing needs of the homeless in our community. Lynn Shelter Associations’ services are free to all guests. In Calendar 2008, LSA provided shelter and services to over 700 homeless individuals and 47 homeless families.  Our Emergency shelter serves nearly 500 people annually, with 46 beds in the warmer months and up to 90 beds and mats during the coldest winter months (nearly 18,000 bed units per year).   The Bridge House congregate shelter can provide shelter for 11 families at any given time with anywhere from 11 to 33 children.  A family unit can consist of a single parent and their child(ren), a pregnant mother within 3 months of birthing, intact families and their children.  In addition, we also service families in motels toincrease their ability to access housing.

Shelter Plus Care (SPC) provides single room permanent housing for 35 individuals and 6 families in a case managed model of care with on site services and monitoring and is funded through Lynn Housing per  HUD.  Attached to this program are 11 units through the Y Initiative, which is a six-month sober transition program.  Currently, SPC and the Y Initiative average 43 individuals annually. 

TRansitions has one central site with four 2-bedroom apartments and 6 scattered sites and houses 13 individuals at any given time. Last year 28 individuals accessed TR services and the PD is active in the consortium both as a member and as a leader of a planning group.  In 2007, TR will add three shelter plus care units to its base programming.  It is the long-term intent to find one other building in Peabody that could house 4 single units rather than used scattered sites, allowing us more control over the premises and the external environment that impacts our clients.  The lack of section 8 availability has meant that many of our families and individuals that would have used our services for 9 months or less, are still with us over 18 months later. 

Innovative programming and a commitment to professionalism has helped Lynn Shelter Assocaition build strong community linkages and led to steady growth over the past twenty years. 

Currently, our program sites are strategically planned to build off of each other and to support the continuum of care model.  We offer emergency shelter through to assisted living as clients transition back into the work force and an independent life.  While they are with LSA,  in any of our programs, and at all of our sites, they have access to case management, housing advocacy, job training and placement services, adult basic education classes, mental health assessment and ongoing counseling, substance use counseling and access to detox and treatment – and assisted access to all state and federal benefits due them.