To apply to Mass HAF, visit www.massmortgagehelp.org. The following documentation is required to apply: Does it matter whether RAFT COVID would cure or not? 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). The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing situations when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. 2598 0 obj <>stream You cannot save and return to an application, so you must complete your application in one sitting. Section 8 is permanent (as long as the recipient remains eligible for funding), and it guarantees the landlord will receive rent. For more guidance on how to apply and create a landlord profile, please utilize this reference guide: Housing Assistance Application Reference Guide (mass.gov), For a list of landlords/property owners Frequently Asked Questions, visit: Landlord FAQs download (mass.gov), For other resources, including recordings of webinars about Landlord/Property Owner RAFT Application Portal, visit: RAFT Public Resource and Training Portal | Mass.gov. 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. _ If you need assistance submitting an application or required documents through this portal, please refer to the corresponding document that is linked below. Home / Tenants / Landlords / Helping People Apply / FAQ /. They can also use the money for utility bills, or to get current on owed rent/utilities. After coordinating with your tenant and determining that they are eligible and have not already applied, you can start the application process by through the Central Application. The RAFT COVID program is presented as an option to landlords, who may, according to its language, decide whether or not to accept the funding in excess of $4,000. In case you cannot afford counsel, a provision of the governors Eviction Diversion Initiative set aside funds to help provide legal counsel to people who could not afford representation (a sizable percentage of mom-and-pop landlords). The answer is no, RAFT funding can be spent on any housing needs that will keep someone from becoming homeless. Since such a family is beyond stabilization with RAFT alone, such a family would likely not be eligible for any RAFT assistance at all. Se enfrenta al desalojo? In other words, no, your tenant did not just keep their RAFT funds. We will use this information to improve this page. RAFT can cover utilities, moving costs, and overdue rent costs, as well as future rent in limited situations. 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. Monthly updates, smart and relevant articles, and free premium content. 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. If you would like to speak with a foreclosure counselor regarding your options, a list of foreclosure counselors by region is available here. Please visit. The RAAs can either assist the tenant with setting up an email address or can act as a tenant advocate to get the application process started. RAFT provides qualifying households with maximum benefit limit of $10,000 per household in a 12-month period. As of Aug. 1 2022, households can obtain up to 12 months of assistance, capped at $10,000. If you need assistance, please contact the Housing and Community Development. Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing situations when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. Renters or landlords can apply by submitting an online application. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. Otherwise the CM will follow up with the property owner and possibly slow the approval process. The two pilot regions are Way Finders in the Greater Springfield region and the Housing Assistance Corporation, serving Cape Cod and the islands. Residents can call 702-229-5935 if they are facing an eviction or need help applying for the RAFT program Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Until Jan. 1, 2023, a Notice to Quit must be accompanied by information about tenants rights and rental assistance options. It will take between four and seven weeks to process all applications. The RAFT COVID program is an enhancement to the regular 15-year-old RAFT program, which provides up to $4,000 for eligible households to pay for rent, mortgage, utilities or moving expenses. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. RAFT gives short-term financial assistance to low-income families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. RAFT can assist families with emergency rental situations, but it lacks the long-term stability of permanent rental subsidies. For households applying to RAFT for assistance with rent arrears, a notice to quit or eviction notice/court summons is now required. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. Even if that tenant began paying full rent again in September, they would have tallied $11,562 in rent arrearages. I have one tenant who applied [to RAFT] and didnt receive a call back at all, she said. RAFT can cover utilities, moving costs, and overdue rent, as well as forward rent in limited situations. Landlords will be able to log in and see all applications for their properties at once, as well as check application statuses in real time. Once a landlord/property owner has an account, you can apply here: MA Emergency Housing Payment Assistance Portal (mass.gov) If your tenant has already completed their application at the time you are submitting the landlord application, be sure to include the Tenant Application Code that you received in your email. ONLY a court order can force you to leave your apartment. Interpreter services are available in multiple languages. The administering agency could require a handrail to be installed, even though this would cause the landlord to lose money on the Section 8 rental compared to a market rental, which would not necessarily trigger enforcement of that part of the code (ignoring, for the sake of argument, that the handrail should be provided regardless of an inspection). RAFT provides qualifying households with maximum benefit limit of $10,000 per household in a 12-month period. Sue McMahon, a property manager for Winton Corp, a large rental complex in West Springfield, has been waiting months since summer in one case for word on RAFT applications for three of her tenants. The best way to apply is online. Tenants and landlords can use mediation to resolve their problems without any court filing, or through court referrals. This page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic. A lock icon ( A lawyer can advise you about the law, refer you to resources, fill out and file court papers, and represent you. Visit this page to understand what to expect when you or your tenant applies for emergency housing payment assistance. 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. E-mail: [email protected]. (MassLandlords data, compiled through a rent survey as part of the Individual Claims Council initiative, shows that average arrears are $4,169 among 59 respondents, representing 765 rental units. Subsidies resulting from RAFT applications during the COVID-19 pandemic were capped at 15 months total benefit. The following documentation is required to apply: Is RAFT COVID $10k Optional for Landlords? - MassLandlords.net Why would a landlord be required to accept less than full rent for a tenant who receives RAFT? How to Apply for RAFT | Mass.gov 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. 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. Applicants who have not already done so will be prompted to create a new profile and account. If the link above does not work (please notify us using the "Need a Hand" widget below and right), then go to the regional directly. Families must meet income guidelines as well: as of April 16, 2022, this was 50% of Area Median Income (AMI), or 60% of AMI for those at risk of domestic violence. Please do not include personal or contact information. If a family meets the income guidelines, they must then be screened using an assessment developed by DCHD. This will ensure your case is . Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Log in or get access for as little as $3. Additional documentation that backs up the applicants claim for needing funding may also be required. RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition) is a state-funded homelessness prevention program. However, applications received after Aug. 1, 2022, will only be considered if the applicant has received a notice to quit, eviction notice or court summons related to rent arrears. This would seem to suggest that RAFT cannot be refused even when it would not fully cover arrears. LANDLORD JOURNEYS: Understand what to expect when you or your tenant applies for emergency housing payment assistance. RAFT was first piloted in 2005, with a budget of $2 million for that first year. The federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) stopped accepting applications on April 15, 2022. It is important to submit a complete application for RAFT to receive support quickly. Homeowners can continue to access the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund(HAF). If you need assistance, please contact the Housing and Community Development. Your support is critical to help alleviate and prevent the impact of homelessness in Boston. 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. Households that already receive income-based rental subsides are ineligible for prospective payments, and payments may not exceed the maximum benefit limit. Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, Applying for Rental Assistance in Massachusetts to Avoid Eviction, Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program. Please limit your input to 500 characters. 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 verbiage implies that families who receive rental vouchers may also receive RAFT funds, at least under certain circumstances. Applications already in progress continued to be processed through the system already in place. Because the eligibility standards for this program are evolving, tenants who may not have previously been eligible for RAFT are encouraged to re-apply. If none of these are available, the applicant can self-certify. Office of Housing Stability - City of Revere, Massachusetts ^ZdS&6mBHp0p12!BB:)0**Xi"3()x*X)jS]II5z Friday 8 AM 12:30 PM. 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. +8(!a]FJ@J3D8OzF@F@@AOaGJh pC4z RAFT - Metro Housing Boston Suppose an inspection finds that a handrail is needed on a staircase. Landlords must obtain and submit a signed tenant consent form before applying for assistance. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. Not submitted means an application has been started, but not completed and turned in. People applying for RAFT must do so in the region where they intend to use their RAFT benefits. The system will automatically match the codes and bring the two parts together. Renters or landlords can apply by submitting an online application. Or acceptance of reduced rent for the period of the agreement? Toll-Free: 800.272.0990 h[.wi343h7XMnh~74s9Jz=(WosJFY'*[ Please do not include personal or contact information. 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. 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). 10 Church Street As discussed earlier, families who receive RAFT funding can use that money for a variety of purposes to avoid becoming homeless or to find housing if they are currently homeless. The RAFT COVID programs stated optionality may leave landlords who opt out exposed to litigation. 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. Administrators will also look at why the family is homeless or at risk of becoming so. Updated April 14th, 2023 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. oSSx3xg=]z3|3|1Y|L8fu?|O>w~>~~o>j~Vc~_yw|yw/k7w/xwq&-Gd[WW? Gov. In addition to the documents listed above, an application for RAFT also requires documentation from your landlord/property owner. If they have no future income, a landlord would have expectation of additional losses. 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. Therefore, going through a regional Housing Consumer Education Center to complete an intake assessment is the first step to accessing RAFT funding. A lock icon ( 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. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and response, the state of Massachusetts initially made an additional $5 million available for RAFT. Lynn, MA 01902 They can also provide a copy of their application for unemployment insurance, documentation of loss of insurance or documentation of the death of a household member who contributed to the households income. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. On December 12, 2022, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) launched a new online application portal for tenants and landlords to submit RAFT applications and required documents. Applicants must bring photo identification and proof of current income for all adult members of the household. At this time, the MA Emergency Housing payment Assistance Application is not accepting applications from homeowners. The program Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) has, in less than a year, ramped up to be the preeminent (and movingly named) housing stabilization service of the pandemic. The state is relying on RAFT to help renters during the pandemic, and the nonprofit is being criticized for long delays and mounting uncertainty. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. RAFT provides qualifying households with up to $10,000 per household in a 12-month period to preserve current housing or move to new housing. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. We also have RAFT Application walk in hours on Tuesday and Friday 9:30am-11:30am and Wednesday 1:00-3:00pm. Massachusetts' Rental Assistance for Families in Transition program, or RAFT, offers funds for eligible households facing eviction, loss of utilities or other housing . During(or after)the RAFT benefit period, the tenant violates a lease clause that is unrelated to payment of rent. For more information about how to apply, please visit our landlord page. Signed W-9 in the name of the property owner. The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing situations when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. Better Lives. Since RAFT monies can be used for more purposes than just late rentwhat may have happened in situations where the tenant got RAFT support but the landlord never saw any money was that the tenant directed the payment to an additional vendor as well as to a new landlord.. endstream endobj 2599 0 obj <>stream Community-based organizations will also get training in how to use the new portal. The program can also be used to help families who are already homeless pay for necessary costs to get into a house or apartment. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. Tenant income eligibility limit forassistanceis 50%of the Area Median Income(AMI), or 60% of AMI for households who are at risk of domestic violence. 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. How Landlords Can Apply for RAFT | Mass.gov The onus is on the landlord to report a move-out to the Regional Administering Agency. Slides are available only for members in good standing who are logged in. Owners, managers, and service providers sustain our nonprofit trade association with membership dues. All Rights Reserved. The wait time in some cases has been months..