Central MA Housing Alliance

CMHA operates an array of programs ranging from homelessness prevention to affordable homeownership and services for elder homeowners. CMHA plays a pivotal role in providing leadership and serving as the primary convener in efforts to strengthen our community's homeless service delivery system and to increase and preserve the supply of affordable housing.

Description:
CMHA's advocacy promotes planning and partnerships between service providers and communities in developing strategies and long-term solutions that promote systemic changes to combat homelessness and increase access to affordable housing.

The cornerstone of CMHA's mission is to not exist simply to continue to provide more services, but to get to the root causes and reduce the need for our services in the long run. Each of our direct service programs inform our advocacy efforts and keep us grounded in the realities that our clients face on a daily basis. In turn, our advocacy efforts have helped to mobilize a unified community response to the broader issues facing low and moderate- income households in Worcester County.

History:
The Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance formed in 1994 as the result of a merger of two longstanding housing organizations in Worcester.

The Housing Information Center began as a tenant's rights organizing group and grew in its well-known location on Millbury Street to provide an array of services including tenant/landlord housing counseling and elder home repair programming.

The Worcester Committee on Homelessness and Housing formed in the early 1980's just as homelessness was becoming a visible issue on the streets of Worcester. The Committee’s strong advocacy in the community resulted in the start-up of what is now a well-coordinated homeless shelter and service network in Worcester. The Committee operated one direct service program, the Donations Clearinghouse

Contact person: Sarah Skonieczny, (508) 791-1512, (email)

Address:

The Village At 510 Cambridge Street Worcester, MA 01609 (See a map)

Web Site: http:///www.cmhaonline.org

Miscellaneous Information

Are any opportunities appropriate for youth ages 18 or under? If yes, what age range?
	no

Last updated on August 31, 2009