Applicable Payment Standards for MRVP MOBILE Vouchers
The applicable payment standard for MRVP mobile voucher participants shall be equal to 105% of FY27 SAFMR, except as noted. Please see the Payment Standard Cheat Sheet for a full list of payment standards. mass.gov/paymentstandard is always up to date.
- The applicable payment standard for all zip codes in Lynn, MA shall be 100% FY27 area-wide FMR.
- The applicable payment standard for Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard shall be 105% FY27 area-wide FMR.
- The applicable payment standard for lower and outer Cape Cod shall be 105% FY27 area-wide FMR.
Applying the Payment Standard at Relocation
The new applicable payment standard shall be applied for any relocations or new leases effective on or after October 1, 2026.
HLC provides two resources primarily for MRVP participants in housing search or considering relocation. mass.gov/paymentstandard notes both the current and new applicable payment standard effective 10/1/26. mass.gov/affordabilitycalculator allows users to select whether they’d like to use the current or upcoming payment standard. Note that MRVP participants must be told their net income, as determined by MRVP, to use the affordability calculator.
Applying the Payment Standard at Recertification
The new applicable payment standard shall be used for all regular, annual recertifications for MRVP mobile vouchers effective on or after December 1, 2026.
If a housing agency has already completed regular recertifications effective on or after 12/1/26, they must be updated and the new applicable payment standard applied.
Note two recent changes to MRVP:
- The new applicable payment standard shall be applied at regular, annual recertification regardless of whether the payment standard has gone up or down. MRVP households are no longer held harmless if the payment standard decreases.
- Rent increases for MRVP mobile vouchers are only allowed at lease renewal. Most of the time, the lease renewal coincides with the regular recertification date. If it does not, any rent increase shall be processed as an interim change. Payment standards are not updated at interims.
Reasonable Accommodations
Housing agencies may increase the payment standard to match the gross rent as part of a reasonable accommodation. Housing agencies do not need permission from HLC to increase the payment standard via a reasonable accommodation, regardless of how much they are increasing it. All contract rents must be rent reasonable.
Rent Reasonableness
All contract rents must be rent reasonable. Rent reasonableness shall be determined by comparing the unit to other non-assisted units in the area. Amenities, unit size, unit quality, and included utilities can affect rent reasonableness. Rent reasonableness shall be determined in a fair and consistent manner, and an owner may request documentation of why a rent was not approved.
Resources
The MRVP Mobile Voucher Calculation sheet has the new appliable payment standards incorporated. Please keep effective dates in mind when using this calculation sheet.
The Payment Standard Cheat Sheet has all payment standards, maximum rents, and ceiling rents for all state rental assistance programs, as well as rules.
mass.gov/paymentstandard is always up-to-date and provides payment standards and ceiling rents by zip code or city/town.
This guidance only applies to mobile MRVP vouchers. There is separate guidance for updated maximum rents for MRVP project-based vouchers (PBVs). There is separate guidance for updated ceiling rents for the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP) mobile vouchers.