How to obtain housing assistance in Massachusetts : a handbook of housing resources

56 Pages·2001·2.6 MB·English

by  Massachusetts. Dept. of Housing & Community Development

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The Massachusetts Department of
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Massachusetts
How
to Obtain Housing Assistance in Massachusetts
A Handbook ofResources
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Jane Swift, Governor
Jane Wallis Gumble, Director
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One Congress Street, 10th Floor, Boston, 02114 617-727-7765
Visit us online www.state.ma.us/dhcd
at:

. 11
Table of Contents
Introduction 2
Public Housing 2
Rental Assistance 3
Section 8 4
Mass. Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) 5
Alternative Housing Voucher Program 6
Individual Self-Sufficiency Program (ISSI) 6
Other Rental Assistance Resources (elderly, disabled) 7
Homeownership 7
Homelessness 9
Lists ofHousing Resources
Local Housing Authorities 10
Regional Non-Profit Housing Agencies 25
Appendix A - Communities within regions 26
Department ofTransitional Assistance Offices 29
Neighborhood Housing Services 3
Community Development Corporations 32
Community Action Agencies 36
Area Agencies on Aging 38
Independent Living Centers 40
Shelter Referral/Placement Services 41
Temporary Shelters 42
Homelessness Prevention Agencies 5
Publication Updated as ofAugust 2001

Introduction
This reference guide is for Massachusetts' residents seeking information on
housing for low-and moderate-income families and individuals. Most
housing in Massachusetts is rented or sold through the private real estate
market. However, there are numerous agencies and organizations that
provide lower-cost, subsidized housing for those who cannot afford
home
market-rate rents or prices.
There are different types of low-cost housing such as subsidized rental
housing, public housing and homeownership opportunities for low4ncome,
first-time homebuyers. Many of these housing units are subsidized by the
federal government, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or non-profit or
community organizations.
Public Housing
There are approximately 90,000 units of state and federally assisted pubic
housing in Massachusetts. Public housing developments are apartments that
are built and subsidized by either the state or federal government. There are
different types ofpublic housing: public housing is available to families, to
elderly persons, and to certain persons with disabilities. There is a very small
amount ofpublic housing available to single persons.
Public housing developments are managed by local housing authorities.
There are 237 local housing authorities in Massachusetts (see pages hru
1
24 for a full listing).
Eligibility: To be eligible to live in public housing a household must typically
earn no more than 80 percent ofthe area median income ($50,200 for a family
of four in the greater Boston area as ofMarch 2000). Income guidelhes vary
from year to year and region to region. Ask the housing authority you are
applying to what the income guidelines are in its region. To live in
state-assisted elderly state public housing, you must be at least 60 years old.
Ifyou are a person with a disability, you must meet certain criteria to be
eligible for state or federal housing for disabled persons.
Rent: The rent a public housing tenant pays is based on household income
and whether the costs of any utilities (electricity, heat, cooking fuel) are
included. Public housing tenants pay:
• 30 percent ofnet income for rent if the rent includes any basic utilities
• 25 percent ofnet income if no utilities are provided
How to apply for public housing: You must put your name on a waiting list
that is kept by the local housing authority. Applicants may put their name on
more than one waiting list if they qualify for more than one program. Waiting
lists for public housing tend to be long. When your name comes to the top of
the list, the housing authority will contact you. Be sure to notify a housing
authority ifyou change your address while you are waiting for a public
housing unit. See pages 1 thru 24 for a list of housing authorities and their
telephone numbers.
Public Housing Preferences: The following are among the persons given
preference for public housing units over other applicants:
• Persons who are homeless due to natural disasters
• Persons who are homeless due to public action
• Persons with emergency needs (such as domestic violencevictims,
persons with medical emergencies, or homeless persons facing an
immediate threat to their health and safety)
There are also preferences for veterans and local residents. For more details,
consult a local housing authority.
Rental Assistance
Rental assistance programs provide financial aid to help lowincome persons
rent apartments other than apartments in public housing developments.
There are several types ofrental assistance in Massachusetts:The three largest
programs are: The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program(HCVP), the
Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), and theAlternative
Housing Voucher Program (AHVP). The federal government funds the
Section 8 assistance through the U.S. Department ofHousing and Urban
MRVP
Development (HUD) and the Commonwealth funds the and
AHVP
programs.
Section 8
The federal government provides the funds for Section 8. Recipients receive
their benefits through local housing authorities (LHAs) or regional housing
agencies. There are approximately 65,000 people receiving Section 8rental
assistance in Massachusetts. The United States Congress periodically makes
HUD
more money available to to fund additional vouchers.
Eligibility: Eligibility is based on gross income. 75 percent ofall households
selected to receive Section 8 must have incomes within 30 percent of the area
median income ($21,000 for a family of four in Boston). 25 percent of
Section 8 households can have incomes up to 50 percent of the median
($35,000 for a family of four). In some instances these limits can goas high
as 80 percent ofmedian ($52,500 for a family of four in Boston) although
very few housing agencies serve households with this income at this limit.
Income limits vary depending on the number ofpersons in the household
and the region in which they live at the time they are selected for assistance.
Rents: Section 8 recipients generally pay between 30 percent and 40 percent
oftheir income for rent. The Section 8 voucher pays the difference between
the rent charged by the landlord and the tenants contribution to the rent.
How to apply for Section 8: You should call any of the local housing
authorities listed on pages 10 thru 24 to find out how to submit an application.
Please note that some local housing authorities either do not have a Section 8
program or their waiting lists may be closed. You may apply to as many ofthe
housing agencies as you wish. Ifyou apply to one ofthe regional housing
agencies your name will be placed on a statewide Section 8 waiting lii
maintained by the Department ofHousing and Community Development. These
waiting lists are quite long. The regional housing agency lists are always open.
Preferences: Each housing agency establishes their own Section 8 preferences.
They are documented in the agency's Annual Public Housing Plan and the
agency's Section 8 Administration Plan. Both documents can be obtained by
HUD
calling the housing agency or at 617-994-8200.
4
Examples ofpreferences include:
• Involuntarily displaced due to fhe, natural disaster, government action,
domestic violence, landlord action, having a disability or threats as a
result of witnessing a crime.
• Living in substandard housing or being homeless (such as living in a
shelter or an apartment with serious code violations);
• Paying more than 50 percent of your income for rent for more than 90 days.
Section 8 programs administered by local housing authorities often have a
preference for local residents. Section 8 programs administered byregional
housing agencies have a regional residency preference.
The Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program
The Commonwealth ofMassachusetts provides rental assistance through the
Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP). The program funded
is
annually by the state legislature. State-funded "mobile" vouchers can be used
anywhere in Massachusetts, but " project-based" vouchers are only available
in specific apartments. The vouchers are administered by local housing
authorities (see pages 10 thru 24) and regional nonprofit agencies (see page
25).
Eligibility: Persons seeking state rental vouchers can earn no more than 200
percent of the federal poverty level ($35,300 for a household of 4 persons as
ofApril 2001). Income limits are higher or lower, depending on the size of
the household.
MRVP
Rents: "mobile" voucher holders receive varying amounts of subsidy
depending on income. Project-based voucher holders pay 30 percent oftheir
income for rent or 35 percent ifheat is included in the rent. The voucher
amount makes up the difference between what the landlord charges and what
the tenant can pay. There are limits on the total rental amount.
How MRVP
to apply for assistance: Most local housing authorities and all
MRVP
ofthe regional non-profit housing agencies administer the program.
For a list of local housing authorities see pages 10 thru 24. For a list of
regional non-profit agencies see page 25.
.
Massachusetts Alternative Housing Voucher Program
The Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP) was created by the
state legislature in 1995. It provides rental assistance to people with
disabilities under age 60 who either live in, or are eligible to live in
AHVP
elderly/disabled state-assisted public housing. There were 800
vouchers in use, as of April 2001
Eligibility: The income guidelines are the same as State Public Housing
(see previous section). Applicants must be under age 60 and eligible to
live in elderly/disabled state-funded public housing.
AHVP
Rents: recipients pay 30 percent of their income for rent if the rent
includes heat and utilities, or 25 percent if some or no utilities are included in
the rent. There are limits on the total rental amount.
How
to apply for Alternative Housing Vouchers: Contact a participating
local housing authority, or the Massachusetts Department ofHousing and
Community Development at [phone], ext. 655.
Individual Self-Sufficiency Program (ISSI)
The ISSI is administered throughout the Commonwealth by nine (9)
Regional Non-Profit Housing Agencies. This housing program assists
homeless individuals transition to permanent housing and is comprised of
two components: Resource Model and Development Model.
The Resource Model provides a homeless individual who has located a
housing unit with financial assistance for such payments as a security deposit,
first month's rent, payment for a utility arrearage, moving costs and a small
monthly stipend for the payment ofrent. To be eligible fir the ISSI an
individual must be residing in a shelter at the time of application, and be
employed or participating in a vocational or employment training program.
The maximum eligibility income is 80 percent ofthe area median and the
maximum
length ofparticipation is twelve (12) months.
The Development Model provides non-profit and private property owners
with financial assistance for the development ofhousing units that will be
occupied by ISSI eligible individuals. For futher information on the ESI
please contact the Department of Housing and Community Development at
617-727-7130 ext. 655.
Other Rental Assistance Resources
For individuals and families:
The Department of Housing and Community Development manages a
number of rental housing programs, information about which can be
obtained by calling [phone]. The Massachusetts Housing Finance
Agency (MHFA) also maintains a list ofrental housing developments that it
Many MHFA-
has financed. units within financed developments are reserved
A MHFA
for low- or moderate-income persons. list of rental properties can
be obtained by calling (617) 854-1 185 and requesting the rental housing list.
The City of Boston operates a Metrolist, a centralized listing service ofboth
rental and ownership housing opportunities. Contact the Metrolist at (617)
635-3321.
For the elderly:
Statewide Elder Hotline [phone]
Massachusetts Department of Elder Affairs [phone]
For the disabled:
See the list of Independent Living Centers on page 40
Independent Living Information Center: 1-800-462-5015
For special needs housing:
Massachusetts Department ofMental Health [phone]
Massachusetts Department ofMental Retardation (617) 7275608
Homeownership Opportunities
There are a variety ofprograms available to help low or moderate - income
people purchase a home. Most programs are limited to firsttime homebuyers.
The state Soft-Second Mortgage Program
The Soft Second Mortgage Program is a state-funded program that -helps
households earning approximately $48,000 or less purchase their first homes.
The program requires a minimum 5 percent down payment. The state will
subsidize a second mortgage on behalf ofthe homeowner who will also have
a conventional mortgage.
For further information: Contact the Massachusetts Housing Partnership at
[phone] or the Department ofHousing and Community Development
at [phone].