– Organization to Partner With Other Nonprofits to Continue Serving Local Community –

The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) is closing its office in Brighton at the end of August 2025, after 30 years in the Allston/Brighton area, due to a substantial rent increase amid budget cuts and a shrinking local Portuguese-speaking community.

The new property owners at 697 Cambridge Street recently informed the health and social services organization of their intention to increase the rent and convert the current lease into a triple net agreement inclusive of proportional property taxes and insurance, landscaping and building maintenance, water, sewage and other costs,  which would potentially mean an additional $1K in monthly expenses, at a time when the nonprofit organization is already facing funding cuts.

“After 30 years of service to our communities in the Allston/ Brighton area, this was a very difficult decision, but a necessary one,” said MAPS’ CEO, Paulo Pinto, MPA. “This is something we have been considering for a long time, as we have noticed a significant decrease in the number of clients coming into our office in Brighton due to ever-increasing housing costs in the area. The higher rental costs imposed by the new landlords pushed us to finally take this step.”

For now, MAPS will serve Allston/ Brighton community members at their nearby offices in Cambridge, Somerville, and Dorchester. Community members can schedule their appointments by calling 617-864-7600.

In the near future, the organization is planning to partner with another local nonprofit to rent a small space within their office to continue offering its many social and health programs by rotating staff weekly from several programs, including Immigrant Integration Services (IIS), Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (DVSA) Services, HIV/STI health clinics, health insurance enrollment, and citizenship drives.

The organization has served the community in Allston/ Brighton since 1995, when it opened an office in Allston – the first MAPS office outside of Cambridge and Somerville. In 2012, the nonprofit made the move to Brighton, at 697 Cambridge St., Suite 203, where it has operated since. MAPS has served the Portuguese-speaking communities of Massachusetts and others since 1970. The organization offers free health and social services through its six offices in Cambridge, Somerville, Dorchester, Everett, Framingham, and Lowell.