Women's Lunch Place

For over 40 years, Women’s Lunch Place has served as a day shelter and advocacy center on Newbury Street in the heart of the Back Bay. We provide refuge, meals, and critical services including medical care, advocacy, housing support, employment and educational opportunities to thousands of women each year. Our shelter is safe, clean, nicely furnished, and well-maintained, with beautiful gardens.

As a community-centered agency, we reinforce respect for both our facility and our neighbors. We enjoy strong relationships with the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay, the Newbury Street League, and the Back Bay Association.

An Opportunity to Provide Permanent Housing

For at least 35 years, the 27-29 Hancock St. properties have included 39 Single Room Occupancy (SRO) units which are now restricted as affordable housing units.  
 
In 2023, the City of Boston and the owners of the Hancock Properties began working with WLP to implement plans to transition the buildings to WLP ownership and use the buildings as Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for women. Under this arrangement, WLP would secure the investment necessary to renovate the interior and façade of the buildings and satisfy the affordable housing requirement for the site.

With over 40 years of experience serving and advocating for women experiencing homelessness, WLP is uniquely positioned to develop PSH for women. In fact, since 2020, 97% of the 173 women WLP has enrolled in our Housing Stabilization program continue to be successfully housed. 

A Home for Women

WLP has developed a service model deeply responsive to the specific needs of homeless women. 27-29 Hancock St. will be a safe, peaceful, permanent home for residents, not a shelter or food distribution center. The women will enjoy private bedrooms and shared kitchens, living rooms, baths, and exterior courtyards. The residences will have onsite case management and wraparound services, security, and a contracted building management company experienced in supportive housing with the goal of tenancy preservation. The services will include on-site, facilitated peer and life skills groups, as well as social activities.  
 
WLP has engaged an architectural firm, Davis Square Architects, to assist with the project. The layout of the private living quarters will remain largely unchanged. The scope of work will be focused on accessibility, resident safety, efficiency and upgrades to building systems, and program design. Necessary repairs to the building envelope, masonry, and stone will respect the historic properties.  

For over four decades, WLP has been a respected member of the community and played an important role in the Back Bay and the City. We have created community, and stabilized and advanced the lives of women who are often rendered invisible. We are honored to have our work supported by so many neighbors, friends, businesses and organizations. The opportunity to provide safe, permanent housing for vulnerable women is a responsibility we are committed to.

We ask for the support of our future neighbors on Beacon Hill to work with us to get this desperately needed housing up and running.