Helping low-income households secure rental housing by providing assistance that fills the gap between the family’s ability to pay and total housing costs.
The program you might know as Section 8 is called the Housing Choice Voucher Program, or HCV. Using money from the government, we can help you pay your rent with a voucher.
Watch this 7-minute video to learn more about the Housing Choice Voucher Program, how landlords benefit from working with renters who use vouchers, and how to participate in the program.
The Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development provides funds for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program. MRVP offers both tenant-based and unit-based rental assistance. The tenant-based voucher, known as Mobile, is assigned to the participant and is valid for any housing unit that meets program standards. Unit-based rental assistance is assigned to a specific housing unit or development. The owner rents these units to a program-eligible tenant, and those tenants who move lose the rental assistance.
Under MRVP, a fixed amount of rental assistance is paid, based on the participating family’s income, household size and geography. The participant pays the difference between the value of the voucher and the actual rent charged by the landlord. The tenant cannot pay more than 40% of their income for rent.
Some Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers are used to provide long-term, “project-based” affordable housing. The rental assistance is tied to a specific unit for the term of a Housing Assistance Payments contract. This assistance can be used for newly constructed, rehabilitated, or existing units and is often used with other affordable housing development programs to help ensure that the housing produced is available to very low-income households. Some is used for projects designed to serve those with special needs.
Berkshire Housing manages a variety of rental assistance programs targeted to the specific needs of certain populations, including survivors of domestic violence, families facing possible separation from their children due to a lack of adequate housing, families, persons with mental health and/or physical disabilities, and persons in recovery from substance abuse, homeless veterans with disabilities and/or psychiatric and/or substance abuse disorders. Access is generally closed referral from specific supportive service programs and agencies.
What is Section 8?
The actual name of the program commonly known as “Section 8” is the Housing Choice Voucher Program. It is a federally funded program that subsidizes rents for eligible participants who rent units in the private market. It is designed to assist very low-income families, the elderly and the disabled to rent decent, safe and sanitary housing. A housing subsidy is paid directly to the landlord on behalf of a participating family.
How much does Section 8 pay in Massachusetts?
We will tell you how the amount of your rental subsidy is calculated based on the Applicable Payment Standard (APS). The APS is set by HUD and the amounts differ depending on how many bedrooms your family needs. You can choose a unit with a rent that is above or below the payment standard. You must pay 30% of your monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities. (a utility allowance determined by BHDC would be used to determine an estimated amount of utility payments the family must pay based on the information that is indicated on the ‘Request for Tenancy Approval” form that the Owner/Agent filled out). By law, however, a family that moves into a new unit cannot pay more than 40% of its adjusted monthly income for rent. All tenant rental amounts are determined by BHDC and you must not pay more than what is indicated by this agency.
You pay your share to the owner on the first of the month just like you would if you didn’t have a voucher. The rest of the rent will be sent to the owner directly by BHDC.
If the Owner/Agent requires a security deposit, and most do, you must pay the amount to the Owner/Agent. It cannot be more than one month’s rent. BHDC does not provide security deposits.
How do I get a Section 8 voucher fast in Massachusetts?
Once your name reaches the top of the waiting list, you will be notified by mail. Your income and housing status must be updated at this time to determine eligibility. If you are eligible you will be required to attend a briefing meeting, where the program is explained in its entirety.
A voucher will be issued at this time, based on the bedroom size for which your family qualifies as determined by updated information on your application. Once the voucher is issued, you have 60 days to find a place to rent. Once you’ve found an apartment that meets your needs in terms of size, location and cost, you and the owner fill out a Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA). The RFTA contains the information that we’ll need to begin the process of getting you moved in to your new apartment. It is important to know that the RFTA is a binding legal document that sets forth the terms and conditions of your tenancy. Please make sure that you complete the entire packet and that both you and the owner sign it.
Once the RFTA has been received, a Rent Reasonableness test will be conducted to be sure the amount of rent the owner/agent has requested is in line with the rent charged for other unassisted units of the same type in the same area of the local housing market. Once this has been determined, an inspection will be set up with the landlord. The rental unit must meet Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher guidelines (see next question). The inspector will make sure that the apartment is in good shape and is worth the rent the owner is asking for it. If the unit passes inspection, a lease must be signed by the tenant and owner/agent, and a Housing Assistance Payments contract is signed by the owner/agent and BHDC to allow payments to be made directly to the owner/agent.
You or the owner can mail the completed RFTA packet to a BHDC office, or you can bring it directly to our office yourself. You or the owner can even fax the RFTA to our office at 413-499-1630. Please include your housing counselor’s name on the fax cover sheet.
How long is the Massachusetts Section 8 waiting list?
Unfortunately, the need for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers far exceeds their availability. At present, there are over 18,000 on the BHDC waiting list. Currently, all the vouchers allocated to BHDC are in use, and we are not issuing any new vouchers. If and when vouchers become available, we will begin selecting applicants who applied in 2002 from the waiting list.
How can I apply for Section 8 housing in Massachusetts?
To receive a voucher, you must complete the Section 8 pre-application and bring or mail it to a BHDC office. Incomplete, photocopied, emailed, or faxed applications will not be accepted. BHDC is not responsible for material that is illegible or missing as a result of transmission by Fax or Email or lost/delayed through the mail.
Section 8 applications are also available at the BHDC offices at 1 Fenn St., 3rd Floor, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Applicants are placed on the waiting list according to the date and time the completed application is received by BHDC.
Who qualifies for Section 8 in MA?
Eligibility is based on total annual gross income and family size. Also, it is limited to U. S. citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status. BHDC has income guidelines issued by HUD to determine eligibility status.
In addition, a CORI check will be conducted for you and any family members 18 or older. A CORI is a check through the Criminal Offender Record Information system. A CORI lets BHDC know if there are any arrests or convictions for drug-related or violent criminal activity. Such activity may make you ineligible to participate in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. Any drug-related or violent criminal activity in the prior three years would be questioned. An internal review would be conducted to determine eligibility.
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