Housing Vouchers

Various rental assistance programs administered by the federal government and the state provide subsidies that are “mobile” vouchers, which can be used to find apartments on the private market.

Housing vouchers provide financial aid to help low-income persons rent apartments other than apartments in specific projects or developments. An income-eligible tenant who receives a voucher may find an apartment in any city or town up to a specified rental ceiling depending on the number of rooms and family size. The apartment must be up to the housing code, and the landlord must be willing to accept the voucher. Both the federal government and the Massachusetts state government offer a number of voucher programs.

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP)

The federal government finances the Section 8 Housing Voucher Program, and the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development provides administrative oversight.

Income-eligible households are issued a Section 8 Voucher and then have up to 120 days to locate their own rental housing, which can be located anywhere in the country. They can also elect to remain in their current unit provided it meets program requirements. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, and the rent for the unit must be reasonable in comparison to rents charged for similar, unassisted apartments in the area. A rental subsidy, determined by the voucher recipient’s income, is paid directly to the landlord by the housing agency. The voucher holder pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the Section 8 program.

Vouchers are obtained from the individual public housing authorities in Massachusetts and the eight Regional Non-profit Housing Agencies. A centralized application and waiting list is available for 102 housing authorities in the state. You may also apply separately to each housing authority that does not participate in the centralized list.

The Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP)

The MRVP program provides “mobile” vouchers that can be used anywhere in Massachusetts. There are income and asset requirements for the program.

This voucher program is administered by Local Housing Authorities. Some PHAs have less of a demand for these vouchers, so a person should apply to as many local PHAs where they might want to live. Some waiting lists are shorter than others and these vouchers may be more available than the HCVP Section 8 Vouchers. Applications for these vouchers can be made through the CHAMP (Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs) form, as with applications for public housing.

The Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP)

The AHVP program is a second voucher program operated by the state, which provides rental assistance to people with disabilities under the age 60, who either live in, or are eligible to live in elderly/disabled state-assisted public housing.

Applications are also handled through the common CHAMP form, as above.