Open the email and click on the link provided to create your Landlord application. Once submitted, applications cannot be edited, but additional documents can be attached if necessary. 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. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a5c456cd3303e18db58e64ae9037f11f" );document.getElementById("gb405c62cf").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A list of regional agencies can be found at the Massachusetts Housing Consumer Education Centers site. 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. Some page levels are currently hidden. 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. The new application portal is designed to replace the current central application process. Families living in emergency shelters are not eligible for RAFT funds, and in theory, RAFT is the superior program, as the goal of the Commonwealth is to keep families out of shelters in the first place. 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. To learn more about eligibility, resources, and applying, homeowners can visit www.massmortgagehelp.org. If your income can be verified with government databases, you will not have to submit any additional income documentation. This page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic. As of April 16, 2022, the state also allowed for partial payments on behalf of the primary tenant to the landlord or utility company, for those entering co-housing situations. The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing situations when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. new google.translate.TranslateElement({pageLanguage: 'en', includedLanguages : 'sq,am,ar,zh-CN,zh-TW,fr,de,es,ht,it,km,fa,pt,ru,so,sw,vi', layout: google.translate.TranslateElement.InlineLayout.SIMPLE}, 'google_translate_element'); Signed W-9 in the name of the property owner. Otherwise the CM will follow up with the property owner and possibly slow the approval process. However, there is a $10,000 cap in funding, and any money that a family has received from RAFT counts towards that. Learn about rental assistance programs available to eligible tenants. Better Policy. This page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic. Outcome: Landlord's mother has an extended order of protection to protect her from the tenant, the court ordered the tenant to permit access so repairs could be made and landlord received one year's rent arrearage from the RAFT program. For households applying to RAFT for assistance with rent arrears, a Notice to Quit or eviction notice/court summons is now required. Posted in News - 0 Comments. Please visit this link to learn more about HAF and to see if you may be eligible. Applying online is the most direct and efficient way to apply for financial assistance. Section 8 is permanent (as long as the recipient remains eligible for funding), and it guarantees the landlord will receive rent. If approved for RAFT, funds will be. Some page levels are currently hidden. RAFT - Lynn Housing Authority The tenant does not receive funding directly. Until Jan. 1, 2023, a Notice to Quit must be accompanied by information about tenants rights and rental assistance options. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. General Law 151B, the states discrimination law, bars discriminating against anyone receiving public assistance, including rental assistance. They will also be able to register multiple properties under one profile, as long as all of the properties have the same tax identification number. How Landlords Can Apply for RAFT | Mass.gov As a landlord, get answers to questions about accepting state funded rental assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The RAFT COVID program is very new and RAFT administrators are flooded with applications as households struggle with job and income losses. Sign up with to receive important news and updates. 2. This will ensure your case is . At this time, the MA Emergency Housing payment Assistance Application is not accepting applications from homeowners. Landlord/Property Owner Portal Reference Guide Information for Applicants Effective August 1, 2022 the maximum benefit limit on the RAFT Program is $10,000 per household in a 12-month period. Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, Emergency Rental Assistance: Landlord Journeys. The consequences for noncompliance are potentially severe, up to $50,000. I have one tenant who applied [to RAFT] and didnt receive a call back at all, she said. Therefore, landlords in these situations might opt not to accept the RAFT COVID extension beyond $4,000 for their tenants, in order to retain the right to evict and find new tenants. The tenant should contact the landlord and rental assistance agency. Landlords should also check general income eligibility for programs. 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. Once it launches statewide, the portal will be available in eight languages. If the tenant is the one applying, the application will ask them for their landlords contact information (email or phone number). 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. Subsidies resulting from RAFT applications during the COVID-19 pandemic were capped at 15 months total benefit. Information for landlords on emergency housing assistance Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. fhousing@lhand.org 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. Therefore, going through a regional Housing Consumer Education Center to complete an intake assessment is the first step to accessing RAFT funding. Friday 8 AM 12:30 PM. A landlord who accepts RAFTfundingdoes not losethe ability to file for eviction due tolease violations that may occur in the future. Once you submit your application through the online portal, a Regional Administering Agency (RAA) or the Rental Assistance Processing Center (RAP Center) will process your application. Jog I5N7=Ziph2IaL)"Q LA01A The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. Applications with all required information and documentation will be processed more quickly than those with missing information and documentation. We will use this information to improve this page. Website Design by Compete Now. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. However, Fisher went on, there doesn't appear to be any language to the effect that an existing landlord with an arrearage would have any priority over a successor landlord if the tenant chose to move into a new property. The largest non-profit for owners and managers of Massachusetts residential real estate. You can find information of HAFhereorcall 2-1-1 for more information. This included applications received prior to that date that were not processed until after the first. Massachusetts' Rental Assistance for Families in Transition program, or RAFT, offers funds for eligible households facing eviction, loss of utilities or other housing . You can check AMI limits in your city/town here. hV\YZ^c3p*p #? First, according to mass.gov, families must be homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Please do not include personal or contact information. 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. A lock icon ( HomeBASE is a program for families who are experiencing homelessness and are living in shelters. 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. If you are unable to access or submit an online application, please email us at HCEC@rcapsolutions.org or call us at 978-630-6771 for assistance. This was much higher than previously and since. 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. 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. 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. Please limit your input to 500 characters. Under review tells the landlord or tenant that the application portions have been matched up, and it is being reviewed for eligibility. Homeowners may be eligible for assistance through the Homeowners Assistance Fund. 100 Cambridge St, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02114. contact the Housing and Community Development. These deadlines were shared with MassLandlords and others by a state official over the March 25, 2021, stakeholder zoom. The rental assistance agreementincludes the following line: If the Participant's tenancy is terminated prior to the period for which any monthly rental stipend payments were made, I agree to return the unused balance of said funds to the Agency.. Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance (ERMA) Funds Still Available Homeowners can continue to access the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund(HAF). }w~W. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program, is. RAFT provides qualifying households with up to $10,000 per year to preserve current housing or move to new housing. 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. 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. For greater efficiency, these documents should be submitted with the referral. 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. Landlords can apply directly for rental assistance on behalf of eligible residents. Homeowners in need of mortgage assistance or other housing assistance may apply for the new Homeowner Assistance Fund (MA HAF) Program. Please limit your input to 500 characters. RAFT: Residential Assistance for Families in Transition A lock icon ( Use this button to show and access all levels. Community mediation and free or low-cost legal assistance for eligible parties can help landlords work with tenants to avoid eviction. The program started Nov. 14 in two regions, with statewide rollout expected sometime in mid-December. Its possible that this legally linguistic contradiction may not be addressed until litigation is brought forth. Applicants must meet certain criteria to be eligible for RAFT: Risk of homelessness/housing instability (example: applicant has received a Notice to Quit), Currently renting or moving to a new rental, Income at or below 50% of Area Median Income (AMI), or 60% of AMI for households who are at risk of domestic violence (you can check AMI in your city/town using this online tool). 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. Low-income tenants may be eligible to receive help with paying their rent through the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and regional administering agencies. Applicants who have not already done so will be prompted to create a new profile and account. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. RAFT is a one-time or as-needed subsidy currently in vogue, with none of the long-term stabilizing power of permanent rental subsidy, but with more responsive application timeframes. They may also drop off the applications at our offices between the hours of 9:00 AM 3:00 PM. Interpreter services are available in multiple languages. You can fill out the information with them. (May only be requested if connected to one of the housing crises listed above). The feedback will only be used for improving the website. The RAFT COVID program appears to be presented as an option for landlords to accept or decline. Proceed with caution: opting out of RAFT COVID funding could render landlords vulnerable to discrimination litigation. Landlords should beware of a potentially problematic legal gray area built into the language of the RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition) COVID $10,000 option. On the other hand, in certain conditions, Section 8 might cause the landlord to lose money. Financial Assistance for Renters and Homeowners - Way Finders Despite statements from the Baker-Polito administration and our best efforts at clarification, we are unable to verify that the expanded limit of RAFT COVID will be declared legally optional by a court. Chinese and Khmer applications are not fillable at this time and need to be scanned. LANDLORD JOURNEYS: Understand what to expect when you or your tenant applies for emergency housing payment assistance. A step-by-step guide on how to apply for RAFT is available here. RAFT can cover utilities, moving costs, and overdue rent costs, as well as forward rent in limited situations. 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. Upon application submission, you will be asked to provide: Signed W-9 in the name of the property owner, Housing verification (Examples: a lease, tenancy agreement, or tenancy at will agreement). John Fisher, author of the Massachusetts Rental Owners Property Management Manual, said that RAFT regional agencies make direct payments to participating vendors (meaning landlords, utility companies, etc.). First published December 17th, 2020 | Landlords of any size may now apply for emergency rental assistance on behalf of their tenants. How to Apply for RAFT | Mass.gov Monthly updates, smart and relevant articles, and free premium content. Toll-Free: 800.272.0990 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). Thank you! Detail - Las Vegas When calling, please leave your name, call back number and application number. This could be in the form of emergency rent assistance to avoid eviction (or help paying rent going forward, if the family applying is in search of housing or has already been evicted). If the landlord accepts, they forfeit the right to evict for six months or until June 2021. ^ZdS&6mBHp0p12!BB:)0**Xi"3()x*X)jS]II5z LAS VEGAS (KSNV) The City of Las Vegas is taking applications once again for its newly re-funded Rental Assistance for Tenants (RAFT) program. RAFT funds could go towards paying a security deposit, first/last months rent, even furniture, though there are caps on how much RAFT money can be used for those purchases. 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. IMPORTANT: If you have multiple tenants completing applications, please make sure to respond to EACH landlord invitation email. Email to hc@cmhaonline.org. Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT). Discrimination by a landlord is prohibited. Required fields are marked *. RAFT provides qualifying households with maximum benefit limit of $10,000 per household in a 12-month period. If you think RAFT could help your renter and you apply on their behalf, you will need to provide their email address. For households applying to RAFT for assistance with rent arrears, a notice to quit or eviction notice/court summons is now required. RAFT can cover utilities, moving costs, and overdue rent. Step 2: Your LANDLORD/PROPERTY OWNER, must also submit a landlord application. Imagine, for example, a Boston tenant who stopped paying rent in March. Not submitted means an application has been started, but not completed and turned in. There are many cases in Massachusetts in which landlords are owed rent of well over $10,000, such that RAFT alone would not cure arrearages or cover foreseeable future shortfall. If a family is determined to be ineligible for benefits, they may reapply after 30 days. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state, Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) Program. You can also use the eligibility checker toolhere to see if you might be eligible for RAFT. . Find out whether your tenant has already submitted an application for rental assistance. Applicants must bring photo identification and proof of current income for all adult members of the household. Though mass.gov is not completely clear on whether current participants in the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) or Section 8 are RAFT-eligible, wording from the 2020 RAFT administrative plan states that If a family is using RAFT to move into a unit with a subsidy, proof of the total contract rent and of the tenants rent share must be provided. In actuality, renters have racked up back rent owed of well over $20,000. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Our staff will call back to assist you in the order your message was received. Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT), a short-term Massachusetts rental subsidy program, is designed to help families who are at risk of becoming homeless transition into stable housing. Better Lives. Please limit your input to 500 characters. We will use this information to improve this page. 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. Program administrators will determine if your application qualifies for ERMA or RAFT. RAFT helps all kinds of households by providing up to $10,000 per household to help preserve current housing or move to new housing. What Happens If I Can't Pay Rent? How to Avoid Eviction in Mass. - NBC Find contact information for your RAA here. A households income must be at or below 50 percent. Eventually, that number increased, and families were able to access up to $4,000 in funds, with the possibility of reapplying after 12 months if they needed additional assistance. Once you have submitted your application, your landlord/property owner will be asked to provide the following documents: The RAFT application takes between 20-50 minutes to complete. If a family is eligible at this point, they must prove that the assistance they receive from RAFT will stabilize the current housing situation. In other words, a family applying for RAFT must show that after the funds are applied, they have enough income to either obtain new housing, remain in their current housing or otherwise avoid homelessness. MassLandlords interprets this to mean that a family who was facing eviction could, for example, obtain RAFT funding to get current on their rent and remain in housing, rent a new place, or use the money to pay court-ordered debts and then move in with family. But considering the language in discrimination law 151B, theres too much risk and vulnerability for discrimination liability to take that step hastily. Landlords can apply directly for rental assistance on behalf of eligible residents. RAFT - Metro Housing Boston 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In this article, well look at what RAFT is, who it is designed to benefit, how it affects landlords and the areas where it could be doing more for families in need. The best way to apply is online. contact the Housing and Community Development. endstream endobj 2599 0 obj <>stream Blog Is RAFT COVID $10k Optional for Landlords? These twelve organizations process RAFT applications, request additional documentation as needed, and administer RAFT benefits (directly to the landlord or utility provider).
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