Massachusetts Affordable Housing Rentals
Affordable Rentals
Massachusetts Affordable Rental Housing
Massachusetts has a variety of affordable rental housing programs. All are income-restricted, and some are designated for people with disabilities and senior citizens. These programs include privately held subsidized projects, public housing, HUD-assisted housing, 202 S inclusionary units, workforce units, tax credit units and 40Bs.
Public housing refers to housing owned by the government that is available for rent to eligible individuals. It includes large apartment complexes, single and multifamily homes. The units are managed by local housing authorities (LHAs) throughout Massachusetts
HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) assists low-income households with rental subsidies in the private sector, primarily through Section 8 certificates and vouchers through the Office of Public and Indian Housing.
The Section 202 program provides funding to construct, acquire, or rehabilitate multifamily properties that serve very low-income individuals, 62 years of age or older. These developments offer income-based rent and supportive housing for tenants to help them live independently.
Massachusetts Inclusionary Housing programs provide affordable rental and home-ownership units and privately owned residential buildings for income-eligible households.
Massachusetts Workforce Housing units are an affordable option for renters who earn too much to qualify for traditional subsidized housing but are still burdened by high market rents
The Mass Tax Credit Housing Units program is designed to incentivize the conversion of commercial properties into residential units in Massachusetts. It offers tax credits to project sponsors who convert properties into multi-unit residential or mixed-use properties
Chapter 40 B is a state statute in Massachusetts that enables local zoning boards of appeals to approve affordable housing developments under flexible rules if at least 20 to 25% of the units have long-term affordability restrictions.
All the above housing programs have income restrictions to be eligible for these programs. Income level restrictions range from 30% of AMI to, or in a limited number of situations, 160% of AMI. Area Median Income (AMI) is defined as the midpoint of a specific area's income distribution and is calculated annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It is used to determine income eligibility for various housing programs and is often represented in charts that show income limits based on household size.
Potential renters can access these programs through Waitlists, First Come First Serve Programs, and lotteries.
Affordable housing lotteries are programs run by the state that provide access to below-market rental prices for income-eligible applicants. Certain apartment developments are required to designate 25-50% of their units as affordable.
These apartments then participate in a lottery system where households that qualify based on their income get entered for a random chance to rent units well under the market rate. It is an opportunity to snag desirable, discounted housing you may not be able to afford otherwise.
Before entering any lottery, you will want to verify that you meet the eligibility requirements. These typically include:
• Income limits – Your total household income must be below a set percentage of the area median income (AMI), usually 80% or less of the AMI. Specific limits adjusted by household size.
• Asset limits – You often cannot have total assets over a certain limit, excluding retirement accounts. For example, 1-person households can have up to $75,000 in assets.
• First-time homebuyer – Some units require you do not currently own and have not owned a home in the past 3 years.
• Residency preferences – Some developments give priority to residents who live/work locally.
• Employment – Steady monthly income may be required, with exceptions for seniors and disabled applicants.
Mass Senior Incorporated can assist you in finding affordable Massachusetts rentals. We have access to both public and private Housing DataBases. This service is free. We receive no compensation for this service. This service is supported by donations. Fill out the following form and we will respond by email within 24 hours.
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