Brie's House
Brie’s House addresses the housing needs of Formerly Incarcerated People (FIP) by providing safe and stable temporary housing for 12 individuals and no less than six months of wrap-around stabilization services. The Brie’s House program paves the way to permanent housing by providing housing search support, financial empowerment resources and a safe place for clients to begin rebuilding their lives.
Temporary, Single Room Housing
Wrap-Around Stabilization Services
Pathways to Permanent Housing
Brie's House residents are temporarily housed in single room apartments in a beautifully updated Dorchester home.
Brie's House residents collaborate with their Justice 4 Housing case managers to create individualized success plans, access mental and physical health services and attend financial empowerment classes.
Brie's House residents will work with a housing search navigator to apply for external housing opportunities, as well as internal permanent housing programs at Justice 4 Housing.
Justice 4 Housing would like to thank the Boston Mayor’s Office of Returning Citizens (ORC) for their generous grant to fund our Reentry Housing program in FY2023.
Program Overview
Brie’s House at Justice 4 Housing is an independent living program for individuals who are returning to the community after experiencing incarceration. Our goal is to provide a supportive environment that encourages and promotes development of the skills necessary for success in stable housing.
The program is located at a beautifully updated triple-decker home in Dorchester, Massachusetts, named Brie’s House.
We are committed to respecting the integrity and individuality of all our residents. The structure of the program aims to strike a balance between individual needs and the challenges posed by a large communal living environment.
In order to ensure successful reentry outcomes and long-term stability, Brie’s House residents are required to participate in certain programming and receive specific services. House managers will work with residents who need accommodations to fully enjoy the benefits of services and programming. Program requirements and wrap-around stabilization services include:
Case Management: House managers will provide case management services to all residents. Residents are expected to attend two (2) meetings per month. Meetings are held in the on-site office on the third floor. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss personal goals and needs, review and update Case Plans, discuss program participation, and maintain open communication between residents and Justice 4 Housing. Topics will include, but are not limited to:
- Housing search
- Employment search
- Money management and financial literacy
- Educational attainment
- Personal goals
- Miscellaneous needs
Trauma-Informed Care: Residents are required to enroll in mental health counseling and attend at least two (2) sessions per month. Justice 4 Housing is partnering with Crossroad Counseling Services (CCS) to offer free services on-site. Donniece Watson, LMHC will conduct two (2) group sessions per month for interested residents.
Enroll with the Center for Working Families for Financial Empowerment: Residents are required to attend at least two (2) workshops per month unless approved for an exception.
Attend Monthly House Meetings: Residents are expected to attend House Meetings, which are held once a month. Here you will be updated on program information and activities.
Community Engagement: Residents are encouraged and expected to participate in the community through healthcare, education, employment, personal development, community enrichment, and/or service projects for approximately thirty (30) hours per week.
Program Eligibility
Justice 4 Housing’s Brie’s House program offers clean, safe and affordable single room occupancy housing (emergency/short-term, transitional and permanent) for homeless and low-income individuals who are reentering the community after incarceration. We offer accommodations for older adults (aged 55 years and over), people with stabilized chronic mental illness, those recovering from substance abuse, persons living with HIV/AIDS and persons with co-occurring disorders.
In order to be eligible, applicants must:
- have reentered the community from incarceration within one (1) year of application,
- be unstably housed, and
- be able to demonstrate the ability to pay $900 / month for rent.
Apply for Brie's House at Justice 4 Housing
Click “Apply Now” below to apply to live in Brie’s House at Justice 4 Housing. Applications are taken on a rolling basis and added to a waitlist if applicable.
Application Process
Step 1
Complete the Brie’s House application form online. Click the “Apply Now” button above to fill it out when you are ready.
Step 2
After submitting your Brie’s House application form, eligible applicants will meet with the Housing Manager to go over the rules and regulations of the program.
Step 3
After completing the application and meeting with the Brie’s House Manager, eligible applicants will either move in or be placed on the waitlist for a room to open up.
About Brie's House
Brie’s House is named for Brianna (“Brie”) Hardy, the late daughter of our dedicated Founder and Executive Director.
I consider myself a survivor of incarceration. The worst fear of every mom in prison is something bad happening to their child. Every night I prayed for the safety of my children. When I was taken from my home and placed into a Federal Prison, Brie was only 18 and just going into college. She had to leave college and get a job to sustain our household. In fact, she juggled two jobs, delivering for Amazon and working at a temp agency, up until the night before she was taken from me. I can still hear her words to me then, 'Mom, I got a permanent job. It's in Newton at a Law Firm, and Mom, they love me! They are teaching me how to be an administrative assistant!' When I went to prison, Brianna had to grow up overnight. No 18 year old should have to maintain a household, pay a mortgage and cover the costs that come with owning a home. Yet, Brie was able to maintain our household until she was tragically taken from us.
She was mature in every way. I was so proud of her. She is one of the catalysts that drives our work at Justice 4 Housing. Brie is why homeownership is so important to me. Having a loving home, a place to lay your head and heal from past trauma and the unaddressed trauma from incarceration, is key to a successful reentry. Brie was able to save my home and her legacy will be ensuring that every survivor of incarceration has a loving home to return to."
House Photos
Brie’s House is a beautifully updated 12-unit SRO building in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The three-story home has four outdoor shared porches, with two in the front of the house and two in the back of the house. Each floor hosts four private and locked bedrooms, a common space, one and a half shared bathrooms and a modern shared kitchen. Each bedroom has a bed, dresser, nightstand, ceiling light, hardwood floors and plenty of natural light!
