Finally Home

At 67 years old, Mr. Li faced eviction after losing his job during the COVID years. As restaurants across the city were closing and work opportunities disappeared, he struggled with serious health issues. Forced to keep working, he had no other choice but to continue working as a dishwasher standing for long hours despite constant pain. Living in a shared room with four other adults, the limited hours he was given were never enough to cover rent, and the fear of losing his home weighed on him every day as his landlord moved forward with eviction.

When Mr. Li turned to AACA, he found meaningful, tangible help. AACA staff worked closely with him through intensive case management, helping him apply for emergency rental assistance, access food assistance and direct food resources, and navigate an overwhelming housing system. With extremely limited English proficiency, Mr. Li relied on AACA for language support at every step, including translation, application assistance, and help understanding complex legal and housing forms that would have been impossible for him to manage alone.  

After a long and exhaustive 2 ½ year process, Mr. Li was finally able to move into a subsidized senior housing unit through the Boston Housing Authority—a difficult and lengthy process that AACA helped him complete from start to finish. For the first time in years, he could stop working, and rest his body. He is now preparing for his citizenship interview this March, a dream he has held all his life.