Massachusetts Emergency Rental Assistance: Financial Aid & Housing Stability

Massachusetts residents facing housing instability have access to a specific network of state-funded financial aid and legal protections. The landscape for emergency rental assistance Massachusetts has shifted from broad pandemic-era relief to a more targeted, crisis-response model. The following guide outlines the exact steps, document requirements, and income thresholds necessary to secure funding and legal support in the current housing market.

Key Takeaways

• RAFT Benefit Cap: Eligible households can access up to $7,000 in a rolling 12-month period for rent arrears, utilities, or moving costs.
• Mandatory Documentation: A Notice to Quit (NTQ) or court summons is strictly required to apply for rental arrears assistance.
• Section 8 Status: The state’s centralized Section 8 mobile voucher waitlist closed indefinitely in January 2025; applicants should focus on project-based vouchers and local housing authority lists.
• New Legal Protections: As of May 2025, tenants can petition to seal eviction records, and courts must pause eviction cases while rental assistance applications are pending.
• Income Limits: Eligibility is generally capped at 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI), which varies significantly by county.

Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT)

The Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program remains the primary safety net for low-income households. It is designed to prevent homelessness by providing short-term financial payments directly to landlords or utility companies.

Funding Limits and Eligible Uses

The program currently caps benefits at $7,000 per household within a rolling 12-month period. This "rolling" cap means your eligibility resets one year from the date you first accessed funds, rather than at the start of a new calendar year.

Funds can be utilized for:

• Rental Arrears: Paying back rent to prevent eviction.
• Utility Arrears: Clearing debt to prevent service shutoff.
• Moving Costs: Covering first month's rent, last month's rent, and security deposits for a new apartment.
• Mortgage Assistance: Helping homeowners avoid foreclosure.

The Notice to Quit Requirement

To qualify for help with back rent, you must prove you are in a formal housing crisis. The state strictly enforces a rule requiring a Notice to Quit (NTQ) or a court summons. You cannot access RAFT funds for rental arrears based solely on a landlord's verbal warning or a past-due invoice; you must possess the formal legal notice terminating your tenancy.

Exceptions to this rule exist for:

• Utility emergencies: A shutoff notice is sufficient documentation.
• Domestic violence: Survivors may access funds without an NTQ to flee unsafe housing.
• Health and safety: Condemnation orders or verified unsafe conditions can trigger eligibility.

Application Process

Applications are processed through the Housing Help Hub, a centralized state portal. The system uses a "dual-key" approach:

1. Tenant: Submits personal information, income proof, and crisis documentation.
2. Landlord: Must create a profile, upload a W-9, and verify the amount owed.
3. Timeline: If the landlord and tenant applications are not linked within 21 days, the system automatically closes the case.

Tenants should start their application online immediately after receiving a Notice to Quit to ensure the landlord has time to complete their portion.

HomeBASE: Diversion for Families

Home BASE is a specialized program for families who are eligible for Emergency Assistance (EA) shelter. It serves as a "diversion" tool, providing resources to keep families out of the shelter system or to help them exit rapidly.

Program Features:

• Higher Benefit Cap: Families can access up to $30,000 over a 24-month period.
• Flexible Spending: Funds can pay for travel, moving trucks, or "host home" stipends to relatives who agree to house the family temporarily.
• Eligibility: Restricted to families with children (or pregnant individuals) who meet the strict definition of homelessness or imminent risk used by the EA shelter system.

Unlike RAFT, you cannot apply for Home BASE directly through a portal. You must be referred by an EOHLC homeless coordinator after being screened for shelter eligibility.

Voucher Availability and Waitlists

Long-term rental subsidies are in extremely high demand. The state-administered Section 8 mobile voucher waitlist closed indefinitely on January 13, 2025, due to overwhelming volume.

Alternative Voucher Strategies:

• Local Housing Authorities (LHAs): Many towns maintain their own separate waitlists for federal public housing or local voucher allocations.
• Project-Based Vouchers: While mobile vouchers (which travel with you) are scarce, waitlists for specific affordable housing buildings often remain open.
• State Vouchers: The Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) and Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP) for people with disabilities are distinct from Section 8 and may have different availability.

Legal Protections for Tenants

Recent legislative changes have strengthened the rights of tenants facing displacement, particularly regarding eviction records and court proceedings.

Mandatory Stay of Eviction (Chapter 257)

Under Massachusetts law (G.L. c. 239, § 15), courts are required to pause (stay) a non-payment eviction case if the tenant has a pending application for rental assistance.

• How it works: If you show the judge proof that you have applied for RAFT, the eviction execution cannot be issued while the application is processing.
• Limitation: This buys time to secure payment, but it does not force the landlord to keep you as a tenant indefinitely if the funds do not cover the full debt or if the landlord refuses payment to reinstate the tenancy.

Eviction Record Sealing

Effective May 2025, the Eviction Record Sealing Law allows tenants to hide past eviction cases from public view.   

• Immediate Sealing: Cases that were dismissed or won by the tenant can be sealed immediately after the appeal period.
• Non-Payment Cases: Can be sealed after 4 years if the judgment is paid.
• Fault Cases: Can be sealed after 7 years if no new eviction cases have occurred.

Once a record is sealed, tenants can legally answer "No Record" on rental applications. You can learn more about filing a petition to seal your eviction record through the state's legal help resources.

Income Eligibility Guidelines

Most emergency assistance programs require a household income at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI). These limits vary significantly depending on where you live.

50% AMI Limits (Estimated Monthly Gross Income)

Regional Administering Agencies (RAAs)

Massachusetts decentralizes housing aid. You must apply through the agency covering your specific town.

• Metro Housing| Boston: Serves Boston and 29 surrounding communities (excluding Lynn and Cambridge for certain programs).
• Way Finders: Covers Hampden and Hampshire counties (Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton).   
• CMHA: Specifically serves the City of Worcester.
• RCAP Solutions: Serves Worcester County (outside the city of Worcester).
• Community Teamwork (CTI): Serves the Merrimack Valley (Lowell, Lawrence).
• Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC): Serves Cape Cod and the Islands.

Tenants unsure of their provider should use the state's locator tool or contact the nearest Housing Consumer Education Center for guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions