Emergency housing assistance
Find emergency shelter
There are separate emergency shelters for
If you are at least 60 years old and care for a child under 21, you may qualify for family shelter. Families living with some medical conditions may not have to wait as long for a spot in a family shelter.
The shelters for people over 18 (and the shelters for young people) are not run by Massachusetts state government. You should contact the individual shelter or shelter provider to learn if they are designed and operated in a way that works for you.
At risk of losing your housing (including eviction)
Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) can provide up to $7,000 per 12-month period for eligible applicants to preserve their current housing (for example, if you're facing eviction) or to help them move to new housing. RAFT can cover utilities, moving costs, and overdue rent or mortgage payments.
The Tenancy Preservation Program (TPP) is a homelessness prevention program. It's for families facing eviction where someone in the family has a disability (including aging related impairments).
If you're worried about eviction, you may want to get legal help and mediate with your landlord.
You may also want to learn about how the eviction process works for tenants, including
- Receiving a notice to quit
- Mediating with your landlord
- The eviction court process
Protecting older adults from abuse
Abuse of adults 60 and older includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, caretaker neglect, financial exploitation, and self-neglect. Reporting abuse to Adult Protective Services can help. Learn more about preventing and reporting elder abuse
Government programs that provide or help pay for housing
This guide summarizes the housing programs that Massachusetts state government offers. Two programs to know about are state-funded public housing and state rental vouchers. There are also federal versions of these programs.
You can apply for both programs in CHAMP (Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs). If you need help applying, your local Housing Consumer Education Center (HCEC) can help you with your application.
The waitlists for these programs can be very long (years), so it helps to apply for as many as you can. You may be able to speed up the process if you have a qualifying reason, such as a serious illness or injury caused by your current housing, or your current housing prevents you from getting treatment. Learn more about what reasons qualify as priority.
Income requirements for public housing and rental vouchers
Both state public housing and state rental vouchers use income to decide eligibility. The income limits for are 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). AMI means the midway point of all incomes in an area. This means that to be eligible, you need to make 80% or less of your area's midway point. Use this table to determine your eligibility by town/city and number of people in your household.
Public housing
Anyone earning less than 80% of their area median income may be eligible for state-funded public housing. More than half of public housing is reserved for people over 60 and for people with disabilities. Here are the income limits for state-funded public housing. You apply for public housing in a system called CHAMP. Learn how to apply or contact your Local Housing Authority (LHA) for more information.
Congregate housing is a special type of public housing for older adults and people with disabilities where you have a private bedroom but may share a kitchen, living room, and bathroom with housemates. Some congregate housing programs also have coordinators who help build community and make sure the living environment is stable. They may help you access community services, manage issues between residents, and plan social events. You can’t apply for congregate housing in CHAMP. Instead, you’ll find a location where you want to live and contact them directly.
Some public housing locations offer supportive services for older adults. The Supportive Housing Program includes on-site coordinators who help residents access resources, arrange meals, plan social activities. They may also manage issues that come up, such as:
- If you need help cleaning up broken glass that’s causing a dangerous situation
- Getting food that you need on the weekends
- A friend, family member, or emergency contact calls with an important concern
- A resident wants to be checked on after returning from a hospital or nursing facility stay
Federal public housing programs
Learn about federal public housing on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's website.
Subsidized housing: Rental vouchers
People with low incomes can apply for a voucher that pays part of their rent. In most cases, when you have a voucher, you pay about 30% of your income towards rent and the government pays the rest.
There are rental voucher programs funded by both Massachusetts and the federal government. The waitlist for any voucher program can be very long, so you may want to apply for all of them to increase your chances of getting a voucher.
- (State-funded) Massachusetts Rental Vouchers Program (MRVP): For people with low incomes
- (Federally-funded) Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP, also called Section 8): For people with low incomes. Some vouchers are set aside for people with disabilities.
Assisted Living and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs)
Assisted Living
Assisted Living Residences (ALRs) are private residences that offer housing, meals, and personal care, services to people who want to live independently. Residents pay a monthly fee. They can also help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication assistance. They're for people who want the security of having help available any time of day in an environment that feels like home.
ALRs are not the same as licensed nursing facilities (sometimes called “nursing homes” or “skilled nursing facilities”). They don't provide medical or nursing services, and they're not designed for people who need serious, ongoing medical care.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs), sometimes called “Life Plan Communities,” provide housing, health care, and help with housekeeping, usually at one location.
CCRCs are for people interested in active community with lifelong learning opportunities. Their goal is to provide services that residents need now, and services they may need as they get older.
Resources for finding housing on the private market
- Find your regional Housing Consumer Education Center (HCEC). HCECs are important resources for people with housing questions. They have local (regional) knowledge. They can help with homelessness prevention, financial literacy, homebuying, and other information about housing issues.
- Housing Navigator Massachusetts (for renters) and MyMassHome (for home buyers) let you for search for housing with accessibility features, such as wheelchair accessibility, ground floor units, elevators, and roll-in showers. On HousingNavigator, you can also filter the search for “rent based on income.” Rent based on income means you pay a fixed percentage of your income on rent, usually 30% of your income.
- HUD Resource Locator helps people affordable housing, public housing, and Housing and Urban Development offices. Put in your city, zip code, or address to find resources closest to you.
Find care to stay in your home
Home Care Program
The Home Care Program provides care management and in-home services for adults 60+ who need support to age in community.
Home Care Program services include grocery shopping, chore services, and behavioral health services. Services are available based on assessed need. See a full list of services provided by the Home Care Program.
Eligibility
Eligibility for the Home Care Program is determined by need and based on age, residence, and ability to carry out daily tasks. Applicants need to live at home in Massachusetts, and not in an institutional or Certified Assisting living setting.
To learn more, contact MassOptions at 1-800-243-4636. Call Specialists are available Monday-Friday, 9 a.m, - 5 p.m. Interpreter services are available in 100+ languages.
Frail Elder Waiver Program (FEW)
The Frail Elder Waiver (FEW) makes services available to people over 60 who need enough care for a nursing facility but want to stay in their community.
FEW is for MassHealth-eligible people aged 60+ who would otherwise need facility-based care. It supports people with a variety of needs. Learn more about who's eligible for the Frail Elder Waiver.
Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs)
Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) provide services that support people over 60 and their caregivers. ASAPs can help with housing, food, finances, transportation, safety, and more.
Visit the Aging Services Network for more information about ASAPs.
MassOptions
MassOptions is a free service that connects aging adults and their families or caregivers with aging and disability services in your community. You can speak with them by phone or online chat. Watch this video to learn more about MassOptions.
Information about home modifications
Single-family property owners now have the option to add a new rental apartment in their home or on their property, known as an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). This could allow you to add a rental income stream by renting the apartment or by renting your existing home and living in the apartment or allow a caregiver to live near you.
Home modifications are updates to your home that make daily tasks easier, reduce accidents, and support independent living.
Lots of agencies have information and resources that might help you make home modifications.
MassHealth has published some short videos to help you understand home modifications.
AARP HomeFit Guide - This illustrated publication features smart ways to make a home comfortable and safe for older adults. Available in: English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.