Massachusetts housing assistance: Emergency and long-term help

This guide covers how to get help with housing in Massachusetts. Learn about shelter, eviction support, emergency help for housing costs, rental vouchers, public housing, and affordable apartments & homes.

This guide is for people who need help with housing. This includes: 

• Emergency shelter for people facing homelessness 

• Assistance and guidance for people facing eviction 

• Short- and long-term support paying for rent and utilities 

• Resources for finding affordable housing (Public Housing, rental vouchers, and finding affordable rents or mortgages)  

Note: This guide is for MA residents who are looking for housing help. Landlords should refer to the landlord guide for housing help in MA.

Emergency shelter

For individuals

This is a list of shelters serving anyone who is at least 18. Call to make sure the shelter has a bed available. Individual shelters are run by towns and private organizations. You should contact a shelter directly to learn if they can support any accessibility needs you have.

For teens

This is a list of emergency housing options for young adults across Massachusetts. 

For families & people who are pregnant

Note: Ask for a free interpreter and translation services at family shelters or over the phone when applying. 

Your family may be eligible for the EA Emergency Family Shelter program if: 

• You're a resident of Massachusetts
• You're pregnant or have children under 21
• Your family’s gross income is 115% or less of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG)

and if the reason you need shelter is one of these: 

• No-fault fire, flood, natural disaster, condemnation, or foreclosure 
• Fleeing domestic violence (current or within past 12 months) 
• No-fault eviction 
• Your children are exposed to a substantial health and safety risk 

You can also read this overview of all of our shelter programs 

Apply for emergency family shelter  Find an emergency shelter for an individual  Emergency housing for young adults 

HomeBASE: A program to help families eligible for EA Emergency Family Shelter find stable housing

If your family is eligible for the EA Emergency Family Shelter program, you may also be eligible for HomeBASE, which covers expenses such as: 

• First and last month’s rent & security deposit for a new apartment 
• Monthly financial assistance to help pay rent in MA 
• Furniture, moving expenses, and utilities
• Overdue rent and/or utility payments

With HomeBASE, a case manager will help you find community supports for education, job training, finding a job, and childcare.

Eviction help

What to do if you receive a Notice to Quit

In Massachusetts, a landlord must send a tenant a Notice to Quit before filing an eviction case. Receiving this notice does not mean you need to leave immediately. You can only be forced to leave by a court order. The Tenant’s Guide to Eviction describes the eviction process in more detail.

Get legal help and mediation 

Mediation is when a neutral party helps you and your landlord solve any potential disputes. This is especially important if you are applying for RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition) because you need your landlord's cooperation to complete a RAFT application. 

• Massachusetts Community Mediation Centers offer free, pre-court mediation for landlord-tenant disputes and eviction cases.
• Legal Resource Finder connects you to legal aid programs, non-profits, government agencies, and court programs for free or low-cost assistance.
• The Commonwealth’s Court Service Centers are available to all court users without legal representation. There are no income or immigration status requirements for the Centers. 

Get legal help and mediation for eviction  Tenants' guide to eviction  Respond to an eviction against you 

Housing for victims of domestic violence

The Department of Transitional Assistance has domestic violence specialists who help domestic abuse victims get benefits and services. Reach them at 877-382-2363 and:

• Listen to the options and press the number for your language
• Select 2 for a domestic violence specialist
• Enter your 5 digit zip code

After hours, call SAFELINK at 877-785‐2020 (TTY line at 877-521-2601).

The Department of Children and Families Child-at-Risk hotline is 800-792-5200

You can report elder abuse online or call [phone].

Emergency help with housing payments (RAFT)

The Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program provides up to $7,000 per household within a 12-month period to help you keep your current housing or to move. RAFT can cover overdue rent, utilities, moving costs, and mortgage costs.

You may be eligible for RAFT if: 

• You’re at risk for homelessness or housing instability 
• Your income is less than 50% of your city/town's Area Median Income (AMI)
• Your income is less than 60% of your city/town's AMI and you are at risk of domestic violence 

Check your town’s Area Median Income. 

Apply for RAFT or check application status  Complete a landlord RAFT application  Learn about the landlord's role in RAFT 

Get help paying rent (housing vouchers)

“Voucher” programs pay part of your rent. You can use some vouchers anywhere as long as the unit meets health and safety standards (tenant-based or mobile vouchers). Other vouchers are for specific housing units (project-based vouchers). 

(Federal) Section 8 vouchers 

The Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers Program (HCVP) pays a portion of your rent each month. You can use some vouchers anywhere as long as the unit meets health and safety standards. Other vouchers are for specific housing units. 

The amount of money paid depends on your family’s income. You’ll pay roughly 30% of your income in rent.

You may be eligible for Section 8 if your family’s income is less than 50% of the median income for where you live. The federal government publishes a tool to help you figure out what the median income is in your area. 

Section 8 participants may also be eligible for the Family Self Sufficiency Program (FSS). Participants sign a five-year contract that outlines their goals & describes the work-related activities they’ve agreed to do. At the end of the contract, participants receive funds that they can use to buy a home, start a business, go back to school, and more. 

Apply for Section 8 vouchers 

Massachusetts Rental Vouchers Program (MRVP) 

You may be eligible for the MRVP program if your income is up to 80% of the Area Median Income. Check your town’s Area Median Income. 

You can apply through the Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs (CHAMP) website. 

Apply through CHAMP  Learn about MA Rental Vouchers 

Alternative Housing Vouchers Program (AHVP): For people under 60 with a disability

Some state housing authorities offer vouchers to people under 60 years old with a disability (AHVP). You may be eligible if you make up to 80% of your area’s median income. Check your town’s Area Median Income. 

You can apply through the Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs (CHAMP) website. 

Apply for Public Housing

Public Housing is housing owned by the government that rents for much less. You'll apply for most Massachusetts public housing through the CHAMP (Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs) website. You'll select programs based on where you want to live. Housing authorities have units dedicated to different types of public housing such as Family Low-Income housing and Elderly/Handicapped Low-Income housing.

There are also 30,000 federally-funded public housing units in Massachusetts. To apply for those, you'll contact a housing authority that offers them.

Eligibility

You may be eligible for public housing if your household earns less than 80% of the area median income. Here are the income limits for state-aided public housing. Different public housing programs are available for families, seniors, and people with disabilities. For more information on how to apply, visit our page on state-funded public housing. 

Apply for Public Housing online  How to apply for public housing 

Find affordable housing (to rent or buy)

Renters

Massachusetts partners with housing developers to support affordable rental homes. Here are a few places to search for affordable rent:

• HousingNavigatorMass is a nonprofit organization where you can filter your search for “rent-based on income.” This means your rent will be capped at a portion of your income, usually 30%. 

  • Older adults who want to live in an older adult community can check the “age-restricted” filter. Otherwise, the tables under “Unit Information” in the listing pages show more details on exact income levels and rent.
      
• MassHousing maintains a list of affordable units for rent. You can filter for Section 8, accessible, elderly, and workforce housing (housing for people who make a little too much to qualify for subsidized housing)
• You can also contact your local non-profit housing developer about the affordable housing units that they own and operate  

Home ownership

• The ONE Mortgage program offers low interest rate loans for low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers.
• MyMassHome is a partnership between organizations that want to help people purchase affordable homes.
• MassHousing provides below market-rate mortgage financing for first-time home buyers and can also help with lead paint abatement and home improvement loans. You can also call them at [phone]

Help with utility costs

Note: You can also use RAFT for short-term, emergency utility payments.

The Massachusetts home energy assistance program (HEAP) helps eligible households pay their winter heating bills. Eligibility is based on:

• Household size
• Your total household income

You can be either a homeowner or renter. For renters, you can still apply if the cost of heat is included in your rent.

Learn about Home Energy Assistance