Massachusetts offers various state and federal rental assistance programs designed to help low-income households, families facing sudden financial hardship, or individuals experiencing housing instability pay their rent. These programs range from short-term emergency aid to long-term housing subsidies. If you are facing an immediate housing crisis, you can find local resources through the Massachusetts Housing Help Hub.
Emergency Short-Term Rental Assistance
RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition)
The Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program is Massachusetts’ primary emergency fund designed to prevent homelessness. It offers short-term financial assistance to low-income households facing an imminent housing crisis, enabling them to remain in their current homes or safely move to a new one.
Applications are processed online through the centralized Massachusetts Housing Help Hub.
Key eligibility requirements
To qualify for RAFT assistance, your household must meet specific criteria regarding geographic location, financial status, and particular circumstances:
Residency: The affected home must be your primary residence and located in Massachusetts.
Income limits: Total gross household income must be at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Households at risk due to domestic violence may qualify with income up to 60% of the AMI.
Immigration status: Legal immigration status is not required to receive RAFT funds.
Sustainability: You must demonstrate that the RAFT payment will stabilize your housing situation moving forward.
Eligible housing crises
You must provide proof that you are experiencing an eligible crisis, such as:
Eviction or rent arrears: If applying for help with overdue rent, you must have an official Notice to Quit or a court summons for eviction.
Utility shut-off: An active disconnection or a utility shut-off notice.
Unsafe housing: Extreme overcrowding, natural disasters (fire or flood), or fleeing domestic violence situations.
Financial limits and coverage
Maximum benefit: Up to $7,000 within a rolling 12-month period.
Benefit distribution: You may use this maximum amount for different crises throughout the year until the $7,000 limit is reached.
Covered expenses:
- Overdue rent or mortgage payments. Outstanding utility bills (gas, electricity, water).
- Upfront costs for a new home (first and last month’s rent and security deposits).
- Moving truck rates or actual moving expenses.
List of required documents
Gathering these documents before starting the application significantly speeds up processing times:
- Identification: Government-issued photo ID, birth certificate, or passport of the head of household.
- Proof of income: Consecutive pay stubs from the last 4 weeks, tax returns, or benefit award letters (TAFDC, SSI, unemployment) for all adult occupants.
- Proof of residency/tenancy: Copy of current lease, written rental agreement, or tenancy-at-will agreement.
- Proof of crisis situation: Notice to Quit, utility shut-off warning, or eviction documentation detailing the exact amount owed.
Step-by-step application process
The application requires cooperation from both the tenant and the landlord if assistance is requested for back rent or moving costs.
Submit the tenant portion: Register and complete the online intake form on the Mass.gov RAFT portal.
Share the application code: Once the application is submitted, you will receive a unique tenant application code. Provide this code to your landlord immediately.
Complete the landlord portion: The landlord must log in and submit their corresponding application within 21 days. If they fail to do so within this timeframe, the application automatically expires.
Review and payment: A Regional Administering Agency (RAA) reviews the joint application. Approved funds are paid directly to the landlord or utility provider, never to the tenant.
Note: Due to the high volume of applications statewide, processing complete applications currently takes about four weeks.
HomeBASE
The HomeBASE program is Massachusetts’ primary housing relocation initiative; it offers up to $30,000 over a two-year period to help homeless families avoid the state’s Emergency Assistance (EA) shelter system or exit it quickly. Funded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), it combines significant financial assistance with dedicated case management to achieve long-term housing stability.
The most important rule regarding HomeBASE is that you cannot apply for it directly. Instead, it is an option automatically offered as a next step to families who meet the eligibility requirements for the state’s Emergency Assistance (EA) family shelter system.
Basic eligibility criteria
To access HomeBASE funds, the household must meet the basic standards of the state’s Emergency Assistance (EA) family shelter system:
Family structure: You must be pregnant or have children under the age of 21 living with you.
Income limits: Total gross household income must be at or below 115% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) (for example, approximately $2,990 per month for a family of four).
Residency: You must be a current resident of Massachusetts.
Reason for homelessness: Your housing instability must stem from specific qualifying events, such as a no-fault eviction, fleeing domestic violence, a natural disaster (fire or flood), or serious risks to a child’s health and safety in your current home.
What does HomeBASE cover?
The $30,000 benefit is highly flexible and is paid directly to landlords, real estate agents, or service providers on your behalf:
Monthly rent subsidies: These can cover a portion of your monthly rent for up to 24 months. Typically, tenants contribute 30% of their gross income toward the rent.
Initial costs for a new apartment: Covers the first month’s rent, the last month’s rent, security deposits, and fees for licensed real estate agents.
Settlement of outstanding debts: Provides up to $5,000 to pay off overdue rent or utility bills if such debt prevents you from signing a new lease.
Furniture allowance: Up to $2,500 is available to purchase essential items such as beds, mattresses, or a kitchen table and chairs. Moving costs: Covers moving truck fees or expenses related to an in-state move.
How to access HomeBASE: Step-by-step
Since HomeBASE serves as an alternative to staying in a physical shelter, the process for obtaining it begins with the shelter intake procedure:
Apply for Emergency Assistance (EA): Submit an application for emergency family shelter through the Massachusetts Housing Help Hub portal.
Social worker assessment: An EOHLC homelessness coordinator will review your case to determine if you meet all requirements for shelter access.
Referral to the HomeBASE diversion program: If your entry into a shelter is approved, your assigned social worker will discuss HomeBASE with you. Instead of moving your family to a physical shelter or a motel room, they can initiate a referral to use HomeBASE funds to immediately pay for a private apartment or help you exit a shelter more quickly.
Stabilization services: Once you have housing, you will be assigned a stabilization social worker from a regional housing agency (such as Metro Housing|Boston or Way Finders) to assist with job training, access to childcare, and budget management.
Long-term rental subsidies and vouchers
Long-term programs require tenants to pay approximately 30% of their adjusted income toward rent, while the program covers the remainder directly with the landlord.
MRVP (Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program): A state-funded program offering both mobile vouchers (which move with you) and project-based vouchers (linked to a specific housing unit). You can apply for state-aided public housing or state vouchers online via the CHAMP portal.
AHVP (Alternative Housing Voucher Program): A state-funded voucher program specifically for low-income, non-elderly individuals with disabilities. Applications are also processed through the CHAMP platform.
Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher Program): This federally funded program helps very low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities secure private housing.
Note: The centralized state waiting list for Section 8 often experiences temporary closures due to extreme demand; however, some local housing authorities may independently open regional waiting lists.
Local Charitable & Community Resources
If you do not meet state income limits or require interim assistance while your state applications are being processed, local community organizations can offer temporary support:
The Salvation Army (Massachusetts Division): Offers local assistance to cover overdue utility, water, and rent payments in order to prevent imminent eviction. Find details for your local branch on the Massachusetts Salvation Army resources page.
Community Action Agencies: Regional groups funded through MASSCAP that offer tenant-landlord mediation services, emergency food distribution, and heating assistance.
