Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT), a short-term Massachusetts rental subsidy program, is designed to help families who are at risk of becoming homeless transition into stable housing. If you need assistance, please contact the Housing and Community Development. Section 8 is permanent (as long as the recipient remains eligible for funding), and it guarantees the landlord will receive rent. The new agreement would still need tocomply with all RAFT requirements. It will take between four and seven weeks to process all applications. This could be in the form of emergency rent assistance to avoid eviction (or help paying rent going forward, if the family applying is in search of housing or has already been evicted). If you need assistance, please contact the Housing and Community Development. Depending on which agency or housing authority administers the voucher or subsidy, this may take the form of a lease or a rent share letter.. RAFT helps all kinds of households by providing up to $10,000, within a 12-month period, to help preserve current housing or move to new housing. In August 2022, the limit was changed again. But if they are moving out, any number of circumstances could have kept those funds from being directed towards you. Massachusetts' Rental Assistance for Families in Transition program, or RAFT, offers funds for eligible households facing eviction, loss of utilities or other housing . Homeowners in need of mortgage assistance or other housing assistance may apply for the new Homeowner Assistance Fund (MA HAF) Program. Your support is critical to help alleviate and prevent the impact of homelessness in Boston. Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) Program. In those cases, landlords may seek to evict before the RAFT process has begun. Image: CC BY-SA Pixabay. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program, is. Youve been added to our list. Log in or join today and gain access all presentations and videos. There are two additional tools for landlords and tenants to prevent an eviction. Note that you as the landlord must provide information for the RAFT application. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. Both the RAFT and RAFT COVID programs are using a new application launched on October 19 (the first day of business after the states eviction moratorium expiration), which features: As part of the RAFT COVID application and in order to receive RAFT funding in excess of the traditional $4,000, up to $10,000 a landlord must agree not to evict, for nonpayment, a tenant who has received program funding for six months, or, in the case of a family with school-aged children, through June 2021, whichever date is later. Consent is implied when the tenant fills out their portion of the application. Phone: 617.859.0400 ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. If a family is determined to be ineligible for benefits, they may reapply after 30 days. If your tenant created an application already, you should receive a landlord invitation email. Imagine, for example, a Boston tenant who stopped paying rent in March. The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing situations when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies RAFT helps all kinds of households by providing up to $10,000 per household, within a 12-month period, to help preserve current housing or move to new housing. fhousing@lhand.org The new application portal is designed to replace the current central application process. Or acceptance of reduced rent for the period of the agreement? TheVolunteer Lawyers Projectassists low-income owners of 1-4 family homes with referrals, legal information, and legal representation for COVID-related evictions statewide in Housing Court. RAFT can cover utilities, moving costs, and overdue rent, as well as future rent in limited situations. RAFT does not serve homeowners. A landlord is required to notify a tenant if they've applied for eviction, This first notice is called a notice to quit and it should state why the landlord is evicting you. Some page levels are currently hidden. Tenants and landlords can use mediation to resolve their problems without any court filing, or through court referrals. First, according to mass.gov, families must be homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. RAFT and ERMA are Massachusetts programs that provide financial assistance to eligible households facing a housing crisis, and can be used for things like paying rent in the future, paying rent owed (overdue rent or "arrears"), or for some other housing-related costs. Click here for Applicant Portal First Time Home Buyers who currently live in one of these communities may be eligible for a Home Read More Fair Housing Policies & Procedures | Privacy Policy, Lynn HOME-ARP Allocation Plan Community Forum Information. Note that it will likely take 5 business days to hear back due to high volume. If your application is missing required information or documentation, staff from your local RAA will reach out to you to complete the application, which will add to the processing time for your application. A tenant who is late on rent could sign up for the program, receive funds, and use it to put down a security deposit on another housing unit elsewhere. This language leaves open the possibility that it may be interpreted as discriminatory to evict a renter who has received public rental assistance. To check which agency is processing your application, visit theCentral Application Portaland click Application Information. You can also use the Central Application Portal to upload additional documents after your application is submitted. Find contact information for your RAA here. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. However, if you are unable to complete the application online, please emailhc@cmhaonline.orgor call508-752-5519, ext. States that did not use all of the federal money they were allocated were at risk of having that money "clawed back" by the U.S. Treasury. The process for referrals from partner agencies has several steps: For greatest efficiency and to ensure the swiftest process, please provide all required documents and explanation of the housing crisis. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. Fax . Even if that tenant began paying full rent again in September, they would have tallied $11,562 in rent arrearages. If you would like to speak with a foreclosure counselor regarding your options, a list of foreclosure counselors by region is available here. Landlords can apply directly for rental assistance on behalf of eligible residents. You can apply for RAFT online through the Commonwealths Central Application. A lock icon ( A Notice to Quit is NOT an eviction. Step 2: Your LANDLORD/PROPERTY OWNER, must also submit a landlord application. If a tenant does not have an email address or access to a computer, they can still go to their regional administering agency (RAA). If the landlord applies on behalf of the tenant, the tenant will receive the code and a prompt to begin their part of the application. More information is available here, or you can go to https://hedfuel.azurewebsites.net/ to find a legal aid program near you. For greater efficiency, these documents should be submitted with the referral. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, How Landlords Can Apply for RAFT, is, Upload Documents or Check Application Information, Call Massachusetts 2-1-1, Informational and referral hotline at, Landlords must obtain and submit asigned tenant consent form beforeapplying for assistance., determineincome eligibility for themetro area of your property. Also, the MassLandlords Helpline is a valuable resource for business advice and legal information. 100 Cambridge St, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02114. MassLandlords has sought clarification on the likelihood of litigation of the RAFT COVID provisions optionality, in correspondence with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), and the state Attorney Generals office. +8(!a]FJ@J3D8OzF@F@@AOaGJh pC4z You can also use the eligibility checker toolhere to see if you might be eligible for RAFT. However, Fisher went on, there doesn't appear to be any language to the effect that an existing landlord with an arrearage would have any priority over a successor landlord if the tenant chose to move into a new property. Please do not include personal or contact information. c. 151B s. 4 states that it is an unlawful practice: For any person furnishing credit, services or rental accommodations to discriminate against any individual who is a recipient of federal, state, or local public assistance, including medical assistance, or who is a tenant receiving federal, state, or local housing subsidies, including rental assistance or rental supplements, because the individual is such a recipient, or because of any requirement of such public assistance, rental assistance, or housing subsidy program.. If the landlord accepts, they forfeit the right to evict for six months or until June 2021. Use this button to show and access all levels. Paper applications will still be available at RAAs if tenants need them. If approved for RAFT, funds will be. If you need assistance, please contact the Housing and Community Development. The two programs also serve different purposes. If additional income documentation is needed, the organization processing your RAFT application will reach out to you to request it. As a landlord, get answers to questions about accepting state funded rental assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. You are entitled to a legal proceeding in which you can defend against an eviction. The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. RAFT provides qualifying households with maximum benefit limit of $10,000 per household in a 12-month period. The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing situations when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. If an individual needs assistance in completing their form, mass.gov reports that the regional agencies can provide help. However, if COVID RAFT is mandatory and must be accepted for eligible renters, it presents a serious financial hardship for some owners who are not in position to forgive arrears or forswear termination. Other landlords, especially mom and pops who rely on rental income for their livelihood, are simply not in the position of Winton Corp to wait several months to find out if assistance from RAFT will cover back rent owed. Once it launches statewide, the portal will be available in eight languages. RAFT may be used for the following costs: One prospective (future) rent payment (stipend) in limited situations, Moving-related expenses (first/last/security, moving trucks, and furniture). Landlord struggling because your tenant cant pay the rent? Step 3: Program staff will review your funds application and will contact you asking for further documentation, if needed. Renters or landlords can apply by submitting an online application. In these cases, a landlord accepting the terms of the increased RAFT COVID limit would be extending a tenancy deep in arrears while forfeiting the ability to recoup any losses for at least six more months. Homeowners may access mortgage and other assistance through the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF). For Landlords. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can also help youfind a housing counseling agency (HCA). Your email address will not be published. Applications received by April 15th, 2022 will be considered for ERAP until all funds have been allocated. You cannot save and return to an application, so you must complete your application in one sitting. Not submitted means an application has been started, but not completed and turned in. They may be eligible for assistance from the state that will send rent payments directly to you, the landlord. We also have RAFT Application walk in hours on Tuesday and Friday 9:30am-11:30am and Wednesday 1:00-3:00pm. ***Your account must have info entered for the Payee, Properties, and Payment Methods sections on your profile before you can apply. Starting Nov. 14, landlords or tenants in these areas were able to file new RAFT applications through the portal. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. Of the approximately $400 million allocated to Massachusetts in the March 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), 50% had to be spent by March 2022 to avoid clawback. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. But considering the language in discrimination law 151B, theres too much risk and vulnerability for discrimination liability to take that step hastily. RAFT helps all kinds of households by providing up to $10,000, within a 12-month period, to help preserve current housing or move to new housing. Chinese and Khmer applications are not fillable at this time and need to be scanned. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. RAFT does not serve homeowners. Please let us know how we can improve this page. To view all of this presentation, you must be logged with webinar access. No eviction action was filed. . ,h^$dXcbM/0&4EcTg$H]^A/H][LE1y Please do not include personal or contact information. _ There are many cases in Massachusetts in which landlords are owed rent of well over $10,000, such that RAFT alone would not cure arrearages or cover foreseeable future shortfall. Visitors to these websites are encouraged to contact agency representatives, listed on the websites, to help with navigation, clarifying information and applying . The program allows renters whose income has been affected by COVID-19 and the economic response to receive up to $10,000 in public assistance to cover rent payments, past, present and/or future. RAFT provides qualifying households with up to $10,000 per year to preserve current housing or move to new housing. The CM will review all documents and will follow up with the service provider by email or phone if they are in need of additional documents. Both programs can be used in coordination with short-term rental assistance such as RAFT or local sources of financial aid, but it is not necessary to apply for RAFT in order to participate. The tenant should contact the landlord and rental assistance agency. Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, Applying for Rental Assistance in Massachusetts to Avoid Eviction, contact the Housing and Community Development. Though mass.gov is not completely clear on whether current participants in the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) or Section 8 are RAFT-eligible, wording from the 2020 RAFT administrative plan states that If a family is using RAFT to move into a unit with a subsidy, proof of the total contract rent and of the tenants rent share must be provided. Proceed with caution if you are a landlord considering declining RAFT COVID funding, especially in cases in which the funds would fully cover rent arrears, could cure nonpayment, and/or stabilize the tenancy.