How do I get on mailing lists?
You can sign up for HLC’s mailing lists using the links below. Note that each list is separate, so if you want to be on more than one list, you must subscribe more than once. There are subscribe and unsubscribe links at the bottom of every email. Please make sure appropriate staff are subscribed. If you’re not sure if you’re subscribed, subscribe again.
MRVP Mailing List
AHVP Mailing List
DMHRSP Mailing List
Will HLC provide calculation sheets and update my software vendor?
Yes, HLC has shared updated calculation sheets for MRVP mobile vouchers, MRVP project-based vouchers, and AHVP vouchers.
HLC has provided them to software vendors, as well as an outline of changes. If you have additional concerns, please reach out to your software vendor directly.
Is the voucher pause still in effect?
Yes. Mobile voucher issuance pauses are still in effect for MRVP and AHVP.
Can people still apply for MRVP and AHVP?
Yes, people can still apply for mobile and project-based MRVP and mobile AHVP in CHAMP.
For rent increase timing, can we do more than one rent increase in a 12-month period since they now have to be at lease renewal for mobile vouchers?
No. Contract rents can only be increased once in any 12-month period. This applies to all vouchers for MRVP and AHVP.
For example, a property owner last received a rent increase for a mobile voucher in March 2026. The lease renews in October, so they want a rent increase on the lease renewal date in October 2026. Unfortunately, the property owner will need to wait until October 2027 to increase the contract rent again. They should put a reminder on their calendar for July 2027 to make sure there’s adequate time for their request.
For mobile vouchers, could we do the rent increase at the recertification date instead of the lease renewal date, if they’re not the same?
No. You can, however, change the recertification date to match the lease renewal date.
I’m working with a household that moved into their unit on August 1, 2025. They don’t recertify again until August 1, 2027, even under new guidelines. The owner wants a rent increase on August 1, 2026. What do I do?
Rent increases for mobile MRVP and AHVP vouchers must coincide with the lease renewal date. There is no requirement that rent increases happen at recertification or match the recertification date.
The recertification often matches the lease renewal date, but they can be different. Now that MRVP will be recertifying annually, it makes sense to think “rent increase only at recertification.” But that may not always be true, especially as MRVP transitions to annual recertifications. It’s best to remember: rent increases for mobile MRVP and AHVP voucher must coincide with the lease renewal date.
As to the question, rent may be increased on August 1, 2026, as long as its rent reasonable and not more than 3%.
Let’s say a property owner doesn’t get as much of a rent increase as they want for mobile voucher holder. Can they terminate the lease and rent to a new tenant and get the rent they want?
There’s nothing in the guidance that would prohibit a property owner from doing this. For mobile vouchers, property owners can terminate the lease with notice 60 days prior to lease renewal. That said, there are costs associated with terminating tenancy and finding a new tenant, especially if the current tenant complies with their lease.
Let’s say a property owner doesn’t get as much of a rent increase as they want for mobile voucher holder. Can they terminate the lease and rent to the same tenant with a new lease, request for program payment, inspection, etc? What about a new unit in the same building?
If the participant is staying the same unit with no break in tenancy, it would be a continuation under the Voucher Payment Contract. Note that property owners can ask a tenant to sign a new mobile lease with new terms annually. That is not a relocation.
If a participant is relocating to a new unit, even a new unit at the same property, that would be a relocation. You can approve whatever rent is reasonable and affordable to the household.
Won’t capping rent increases just lead to property owners terminating leases and doing no-fault evictions and a lot of people moving?
It could lead to that in some cases. There are costs associated with terminating tenancy and finding a new tenant, especially if the current tenant complies with their lease. Limiting rent increases will also help slow spending.
Households have to pay any portion of the rent that exceeds the payment standard. Allowing all rent reasonable rent increases without increasing the payment standards, which is not a sustainable practice at this time, means that many households will be responsible for the increased rent – without an increase in their income or ability to pay. That could lead to at-fault evictions for non-payment of rent and/or more relocations.
Can the owner and tenant agree on a higher rent? Can the tenant agree to pay extra rent?
No. Only the housing agency can set the contract rent and determine the subsidy payment and tenant rent share. Participants in MRVP and AHVP should never pay a different rent than the one given to them by the housing agency. Accepting rent in addition to what’s approved by the housing agency is a violation of the voucher payment contract, lease/lease addendum, and voucher.
If the rent is already above the payment standard and the owner asks for a rent increase, can I deny it since it will burden the household?
In MRVP, housing agencies should approve rent reasonable rent increases up to 3%. If it’s a mobile voucher, the rent increase must also be a lease renewal. Note that MRVP households can terminate their lease if a rent increases causes rent to exceed 40% of their net income.
In AHVP, an HLC waiver is required for any contract rent above the ceiling rent. You should reach out to Joel Deery for next steps.
Can I approve a rent increase more than 3% via a reasonable accommodation?
Yes, you can approve a higher rent increase with a reasonable accommodation.
Is there any support for households in relocation?
While MRVP will no longer pay security deposits, if you provide a household in relocation with their net income, as determined by MRVP, they can go to mass.gov/affordabilitycalculator to see if a specific unit is affordable to them and review rent ranges by zip code. It’s a very useful tool.
How do I explain to a property owner that I can only approve a rent increase of X for their MRVP unit when I can approve a much higher rent increase for the unit right next to it with a Section 8 voucher?
Housing vouchers are complicated. You can explain that MRVP and Section 8 are different programs, funded differently, and have different rules. If they continue to persist that they should get a higher rent for their MRVP unit, please refer them to HLC at EOHLCmrvp@mass.gov.
I already approved in writing rent increases to be effective after July 1 that exceed 3% and don’t align with the lease renewal date.
Any rent increase approved in writing on or before April 16, 2026 is acceptable and does not need to be changed.
For project-based vouchers, how does the 3% increase work with maximum rents?
For project-based vouchers, HLC has maximum rents. You may not approve PBV rents above that amount. Generally, maximum PBV rents in MRVP are set at 100% area-wide FMR.
If a 3% increase would cause the contract rent to exceed the maximum rent, you cannot approve it because you cannot approve a contract rent above the maximum rent.
In the rare case that 100% area-wide FMR goes down, you don’t need to lower existing rents, but you cannot approve a rent increase (because it would exceed the maximum rent).
A property owner with project-based vouchers is very upset about the rent increase cap and wants to leave the program.
If you encounter a property owner who would like to end their participation in the project-based voucher program, please ask them to contact HLC at EOHLCmrvp@mass.gov.
I’ve already received a Request for Program Payment and security deposit for a move effective after July 1. What do I do?
For any move-in effective on or after July 1, MRVP and AHVP will no longer pay first month’s rent, last month’s rent, and/or security deposit. Please alert the owner and point the participant to the MRVP participant letter or AHVP participant letter.
Can we still do voucher extensions via reasonable accommodations?
Yes. Note that extension requests must be made before the voucher expires. If they are made after the voucher expires, the request for reasonable accommodation must also address why the request was made late.
Can AHVP rents go above the ceiling rent?
Yes, with a waiver from HLC. If an AHVP participant submits a unit with a rent above the ceiling rent or you get a rent increase that would cause the rent to go above the ceiling rent, submit a request for a waiver to Joel Deery. Note that the household will pay 25% or 30% of net income in rent (depending on utilities) and the amount the rent exceeds the ceiling rent. Housing agency staff should review the calculations with the participant and make sure they believe the rent will be affordable.
I have a question about the AHVP mobile vouchers issued via Money Follows the Person/Moving Forward Program.
Please reach out to Joel Deery directly with questions.
Can we still increase the payment standard/ceiling rent via a reasonable accommodation?
Yes. Housing agencies can raise the payment standard (MRVP) and/or ceiling rent (AHVP) via a reasonable accommodation. HLC does not need to be consulted. All contract rents must be rent reasonable. As long as a contract rent is reasonable, a housing agency can approve it via a reasonable accommodation without HLC permission.
Are there any changes to how decreases in income are counted?
No. Housing agencies should complete an interim effective the first of month after a decrease in net income is reported, assuming verification is provided by the household in a reasonable time frame.
Are there any changes to how annual cost of living adjustments (COLAs) for income like social security are counted?
No. Housing agencies should count all income increases of 10% or more. Because COLAs are typically below 10%, they will be counted at the next regular annual recertification. Housing agencies can apply COLAs if necessary for recertifications effective January through April if updated benefit letters aren’t available.
Where can I find the payment standards?
HLC will send out updated payment standards and ceiling rents in approximately August 2026 when updated numbers are announced by HUD. You can also look up payment standards and ceiling rents by zip code at mass.gov/paymentstandard.
For existing repayment agreements, do households have 90 to bring the repayment current or 90 days to pay the full amount?
For existing repayment agreements, if a household falls behind, they have 90 days to bring their account current. They are not required to fully pay off the full amount owed in 90 days.
For example, Yaz has an existing repayment agreement. She currently owes the housing agency $2,350 and agreed to pay $40 per month. Beginning in February 2026, she began to only pay $20 per month. By October 1, 2026, the housing agency should send Yaz notice that she has until December 31, 2026 to bring her account current. This means she needs to pay $20 x however many months her payment was short by December 31, 2026, in addition to her regular payments. She does not need to pay the whole $2,350 by December 31, 2026.
I’m working on a repayment agreement now. What do I do?
If the repayment agreement both 1) covers a time period entirely before July 1, 2026 and 2) is signed before July 1, 2026, you can proceed with the repayment agreement.
Jill is working with a household that forgot to report that their child began to receive SSI. Excess subsidy was paid for May 2025 to February 2026. Jill can write and sign a repayment agreement with this household as long as it’s signed before July 1, 2026.
Jennifer has a household who is in the same situation where excessive subsidy was paid for May 2025 through February 2026, when the additional income ended. Jennifer does not discover that there was unreported income the recertification in December 2026. Because the repayment agreement would be signed after July 1, 2026, a repayment agreement should not be offered. The household will have 90 days repay the excess subsidy paid on their behalf.
Julissa is working with a household who has unreported income and received excess subsidy from February 2026 through October 2026. Because the repayment agreement would cover a time period after July 1, 2026, a repayment agreement should not be offered. Additionally, the repayment agreement would be signed after July 1, 2026. The household will have 90 days repay the excess subsidy paid on their behalf.
Am I going to stop paying ALL utility reimbursements on July 1, 2026?
Utility reimbursements will end at the first relocation or recertification effective on or after July 1, 2026. Depending on recertification dates and number of households receiving utility reimbursements, housing agencies may continue paying utility reimbursements through June 1, 2027.
We’re glad HLC has written letters to participants and landlords. What do we do with them?
HLC has provided housing agencies with printable versions of letters to MRVP participants, AHVP participants, and property owners. Housing agencies are not required to send these to all participants and owners, although they are welcome to do so. HLC recognizes the administrative burden that would place on housing agencies. That said, housing agencies are encouraged to include copies in physical mail that’s already being sent, such as tenant rent share letters and recertification packets.
Housing agencies can and should also refer participants and landlords to the letters posted online. For example, if a staff member works exclusively on MRVP and AHVP, it might be helpful for them to include links in all their emails with participants and property owners.
HLC is asking a lot from housing agencies without increasing administrative fees.
Yes, HLC is asking a lot from housing agencies. HLC did include adjustments to lower administrative burden but does acknowledge that, overall, workload is increasing. When weighing program adjustments, HLC did consider administrative burden. The main focus was on preserving fundamental program structure while limiting harm to participants and lowering the rate at which subsidy costs increase.
HLC continues to welcome suggestions on reducing administrative burden, as housing agencies are most knowledgeable on what isn’t working on the ground.
Why is HLC making program adjustments now? Weren’t there just a lot of program adjustments in the other direction?
Voucher costs continue to rise at a rate that is unsustainable. Coupled with a difficult fiscal environment, adjustments are needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of these voucher programs. Previous program changes did increase the cost per voucher, but they were necessary to ensure MRVP is a modern and well-functioning voucher program.
Is MRVP or AHVP in shortfall?
No. Shortfall is a HUD term. The fiscal structures of federal versus state voucher programs are very different. As proposed with the program adjustments applied, the Governor’s FY27 budget will fully fund MRVP and AHVP as they are today and expected to be at the end of the FY27.
I have some additional ideas for ways that HLC could save money or improve these programs.
Excellent! Please reach out to program staff or email eohlcmrvp@mass.gov. We listen to and highly value your suggestions.