OM,^--R^3/ZOO( jWV??. The Massachusetts Department of & Housing Community Development UMASS/AMHERST 3120bb DEfll ET7T 3 dhcd Massachusetts How to Obtain Housing Assistance in Massachusetts A Handbook ofResources M 5 M£^ «&$&«* 1® ~ Commonwealth of Massachusetts Jane Swift, Governor Jane Wallis Gumble, Director MA 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 (617) 727-7130, 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 (617) 727-7130. 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 1-800-882-2003 Massachusetts Department of Elder Affairs (617) 727-7750 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 (617) 626-8000 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 (617) 338-7868 or the Department ofHousing and Community Development at (617) 727-7824.