If you need assistance, please contact the Housing and Community Development. Thursday 8 AM 4 PM Tenants can also apply directly. Otherwise the CM will follow up with the property owner and possibly slow the approval process. While many of the special protections for homeowners impacted by COVID-19 are no longer in effect, owner-occupants of 1-4 family properties still may be able to seek relief. The Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program may provide income-eligible households with up to $10,000 to pay utilities or moving costs, overdue rent, or future rent in limited situations, and once approved, these payments are sent directly to landlords. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. This was much higher than previously and since. Initially, families accessing RAFT funds received between $1,500 and $3,000 as a one-time payment, according to literature published by Metro Housing Boston. Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT). Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The wait time in some cases has been months.. 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. But if they are moving out, any number of circumstances could have kept those funds from being directed towards you. However, there is a $10,000 cap in funding, and any money that a family has received from RAFT counts towards that. Say a tenant has applied for RAFT, but the landlord, unable to wait, starts eviction before receiving RAFT response. The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing situations when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. All Rights Reserved. Why would a landlord be required to accept less than full rent for a tenant who receives RAFT? RAFT can pay up to $10,000 in back rent or mortgage payments, utility bills, future rent, mortgage payments or moving costs if: You are homeless or about to become homeless, and Your income is less than 80% of Area Median Income. . Image: CC BY-SA Pixabay. oSSx3xg=]z3|3|1Y|L8fu?|O>w~>~~o>j~Vc~_yw|yw/k7w/xwq&-Gd[WW? Please limit your input to 500 characters. But considering the language in discrimination law 151B, theres too much risk and vulnerability for discrimination liability to take that step hastily. In that case, a landlord who has exercised the option to turn down RAFT COVID funding for a tenant, who then began or continued an eviction process for that tenant, may be vulnerable to a discrimination claim. by Nomer Caceres. Please limit your input to 500 characters. A lock icon ( 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. RAFT is administered by eleven Regional Administering Agencies (RAAs) as well as the Rental Assistance Processing (RAP) Center operated by Nan McKay and Associates (NMA). Homeowners in need of mortgage assistance or other housing assistance may apply for the new Homeowner Assistance Fund (MA HAF) Program. Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, Emergency Rental Assistance: Landlord Journeys. Until Jan. 1, 2023, Landlords are required to send a notice to quit for non-payment of rent. Mediation is a confidential, voluntary and non-judgmental process where a neutral third party (the mediator) helps people resolve differences based on what is important to them. The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing situations when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. During(or after)the RAFT benefit period, the tenant does notmeet themonthly rent payment obligationthat is stated in the agreement. Applicants should complete all of the fields in the preferred-language application and with all of the required documents, they may mail them to Metro Housing|Boston, 1411 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02120. Log in or join today and gain access all presentations and videos. Interpreter services are available in multiple languages. Of the approximately $400 million allocated to Massachusetts in the December 2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA 2021), 65% had to be spent by Sept. 30, 2021, to avoid clawback. Open to all. As of Aug. 1 2022, households can obtain up to 12 months of assistance, capped at $10,000. This additional funding program had slightly different eligibility standards than the regular RAFT program, and was used for mortgage foreclosures and loss of utilities, not just evictions. The state RAFT program may provide up to up to $10,000 per household in a 12-month period for rent and other housing costs, including moving expenses. This funding source no longer matters. The RAFT COVID program appears to be presented as an option for landlords to accept or decline. The two pilot regions are Way Finders in the Greater Springfield region and the Housing Assistance Corporation, serving Cape Cod and the islands. Households composed of any of the following:Individuals, families with older children, couples without children, unaccompanied youth, and households of any size. C( QA%TD2*HTpA2EVHST0 QHH-W$2PgAEVA This would seem to suggest that RAFT can be refused when it does not fully cover arrears. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, Information for landlords on emergency housing assistance, is, Information for landlords on emergency housing assistance. Or acceptance of reduced rent for the period of the agreement? Are your tenants behind on rent? Thank you for your website feedback! They can also use the money for utility bills, or to get current on owed rent/utilities. If your tenant has not previously applied for rental assistance, start an application by asking for your tenant to sign the required consent form that is available through the regional agency. 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. The RAFT COVID programs stated optionality may leave landlords who opt out exposed to litigation. Landlords should consult their own legal counsel for advice before declining rental assistance that covers all outstanding rent arrears. Homeowners in need of mortgage assistance or other housing assistance may apply for the new Homeowner Assistance Fund (MA HAF) Program. If additional income documentation is needed, the organization processing your RAFT application will reach out to you to request it. Presentation: RAFT (How to Apply on behalf of Renters), DHCD Announces New RAFT Application Portal Pilot Began Nov. 14, literature published by Metro Housing Boston, Housing Assistance Corporation RAFT Application, Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority RAFT Application, Berkshire Housing Development Corporation RAFT Application, Information for landlords on emergency housing assistance, Find your regional agency and income eligibility, The Housing Assistance Application Reference Guide, Statewide Rental Real Estate Networking and Training, Community Teamwork RAFT Application for North Shore, Lowell, Lawrence link coming soon, South Middlesex Opportunity Council RAFT Application for MetroWest link coming soon. Also, the MassLandlords Helpline is a valuable resource for business advice and legal information. A landlord who accepts RAFTfundingdoes not losethe ability to file for eviction due tolease violations that may occur in the future. Owners, managers, and service providers sustain our nonprofit trade association with membership dues. The following documentation is required to apply: Gov. Renters or landlords can apply by submitting an online application. Better Policy. If your tenant is behind on the rent - or . Updated April 14th, 2023 Please let us know how we can improve this page. You skipped the table of contents section. The state is relying on RAFT to help renters during the pandemic, and the nonprofit is being criticized for long delays and mounting uncertainty. The same might apply to a landlord who initiated or continued eviction while a RAFT application is pending. For more information about how to apply, please visit our landlord page. If the landlord accepts, they forfeit the right to evict for six months or until June 2021. Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Boston is approximately $1,927 (taken from a combination of averages calculated by listing rental agencies Zumper and apartmentlist.com). Applicationsfor rental assistance received after April 15th will be considered for assistance under the more targeted state-fundedResidential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program, subject to fundingavailability. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. hV\YZ^c3p*p #? Applications already in progress continued to be processed through the system already in place. Please do not include personal or contact information. Subsidies resulting from RAFT applications during the COVID-19 pandemic were capped at 15 months total benefit. One of the biggest features is the addition of a save and resume function. Landlords of tenants who receive RAFT COVID funds do not lose the right to evict due to lease violations, or in the event that agreements including use of RAFT funds are not complied with. Se enfrenta al desalojo? :If your tenant has already submitted an application for rental assistance, please do not reapply. A lock icon ( Submitted lets the landlord or tenant know that the application has been submitted but is still waiting for the other party to match with the application using the specialized code. This included applications received prior to that date that were not processed until after the first. Please let us know how we can improve this page. Also, in order to qualify for RAFT COVID funds, tenants household income must be at or below 50% of Area Median Income. . RAFT can cover utilities, moving costs, and overdue rent. We will use this information to improve this page. If approved for RAFT, funds will be. contact the Housing and Community Development. A landlords refusal to accept emergency rental assistance, that covers the entire amount owed to the landlord, may, in some circumstances, constitute a violation of Chapter 151B. %PDF-1.6 % Under the current system, landlords applying on behalf of their tenants must include a signed tenant consent form, but the dual nature of the new portal application removes the need for this. If a family had used RAFT funds to stave off becoming homeless, but in the end were not able to remain in housing, they could see less HomeBASE funding later on. Can a renter get RAFT directly and then not give it to the landlord? Upon application submission, you will be asked to provide: Proof of ownership of the unit. 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. The maximum benefit cap for RAFT is $10,000 over a 12-month period. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. If you would like to speak with a foreclosure counselor regarding your options, a list of foreclosure counselors by region is available here. If you are unable to assist your client in completing the online application, printable applications can be found below. RAFT was first piloted in 2005, with a budget of $2 million for that first year. Consent is implied when the tenant fills out their portion of the application. If your renters are in a tough spot, it is worth checking to see if RAFT funds are available and if your renters qualify. If the tenant is the one applying, the application will ask them for their landlords contact information (email or phone number). Some page levels are currently hidden. 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. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. People applying for RAFT must do so in the region where they intend to use their RAFT benefits. 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. The requirement of only one set of signatures; Reduced documentation requirements for household identification new income verification processes will allow for automatic data matching with DTA, MassHealth, or DOR (UIOnline and WageMatch). 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. 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. Applications processed on or after Aug. 1, 2022, are eligible to receive up to $10,000 in RAFT funds. 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. Others need 12 weeks or longer. 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. A lock icon ( This language leaves open the possibility that it may be interpreted as discriminatory to evict a renter who has received public rental assistance.

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