Escaping Mass. and Cass: Rebuilding a life after years of homelessness

After years of struggling with homelessness and substance use disorder, Heidi King finally has a warm shower, a bed, a door with a lock and a place to call home. When Boston city officials under Mayor Michelle Wu cleared out hundreds of tents in January at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, or “Mass. and Cass,” Heidi and more than 160 others were placed in transitional housing. And an estimated 100 people who had been living in the encampment were left behind with no place to go.

Heidi says that this is her chance to rebuild her life after more than a decade of fighting just to survive. Though she feels lucky, the past six weeks presented a challenging transition as she continues to grapple with detoxing, rebuilding relationships and coping with years of living on the street.

Filmed by Tori Bedford, Howard Powell and Joanie Tobin
Edited by Emily Judem
Reported by Tori Bedford
Produced by Emily Judem and Stephanie Leydon
Music from APM

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