Housing Before the Storm: Briana’s Story

Almost a year since the pandemic’s start, FamilyAid Boston has housed more than 600 homeless children and parents, more than ever in a single year. While that’s a huge win for our families, it’s also an ominous reminder of dramatically increasing homelessness rates.  The story of our client, Briana, repeats itself many times over, every day, as more families seek FamilyAid’s support:

Briana is a single mother of two: Jax, age 6 and Jade, born just before the pandemic. Briana worked hard to save money prior to Jade’s birth, as she knew maternity leave would make money tight. Briana planned to go back to work when Jade reached five months and could go to daycare. She never imagined a pandemic or that she and her children would end up homeless.

In March 2020, Jax was sent home from school with no word of when it would reopen for in-person classes, and Briana’s employer laid her off. She applied for unemployment benefits, but a delay in payments and mounting bills meant that there was no money for rent.

Briana and her children were forced to flee their apartment and move in with family members, becoming one of 1,800 Boston families living “doubled up” in an overcrowded apartment. Sleeping in one room with one bed and sharing cramped quarters with another family, Briana’s health started to decline, and Jax struggled to focus on schoolwork. Briana called the state’s 211 Emergency Assistance line and was referred to FamilyAid Boston.

Fortunately, as the pandemic surged through the spring of 2020, FamilyAid and Boston Public Schools launched a housing program allowing FamilyAid to screen ‘doubled up’ families and help them apply for Section 8 vouchers via the Boston Housing Authority.

Through this innovative program, Briana quickly obtained a voucher, but the real struggle became finding a landlord who would accept her without employment. Rejections became regular despite her excellent credit and voucher for payment. “My FamilyAid team worked extra hard to make sure everything was done correctly (inspection, paperwork, etc.) and spoke to each landlord I applied to rent from. They advocated for me, and it really made the difference.” Briana shared.

With FamilyAid’s help, she, Jax, and Jade recently moved into an apartment just before the first snowstorm of the season. Through private donor support, FamilyAid provided Briana with basic furniture and appliances, and holiday gifts – something that made Jax’s face light up in delight for the first time in many months.

Briana is overjoyed to raise her children in their own place.  While the pandemic will keep her at home until Jax is able to learn in-person, Briana is looking forward to returning to work and to celebrating Jax’s 7th birthday this coming month in their new home.

“It has taken many hands, but we have housed so many who have lost everything from the pandemic and have seen major improvements in the lives of our families” says FamilyAid Housing Program Manager Audrey Beare.  “Our work isn’t done, however. While we have housed 600, we are working with another 1,200 clients just like Briana, Jade and Jax, who are still searching for a home of their own.”