Private Affordable Housing: Income Restricted Rental Housing

This page provides an overview of private affordable housing opportunities, also known as income-restricted rental housing. Households with low and moderate incomes, including voucher holders (i.e., Section 8, MRVP, AHVP) may be eligible for these homes.

What is Private Affordable Housing?

Private affordable housing is housing owned by private landlords or companies. Rent for these apartments is typically lower than usual because of government rules or funding. This page focuses on private affordable rental housing where rents do not change with your income. These homes are sometimes called income-restricted with fixed, below market rents.  

Note: There is also private affordable rental housing with rents that do change if your income goes up or down.  And there are opportunities for affordable for-sale units. 

How it works

• 🏦 Some private affordable housing is in buildings where all the units are affordable.
• 🔑In other cases, only a few units in a complex have reduced rent. The rest are regular-priced (called “market-rate”)
• 🧾In Massachusetts, most private affordable housing is created through various government programs that encourage or require developers to build affordable housing. 

Who is eligible and how much rent do you pay?

It depends on the building and the program that supports it. Because different apartments have different rules, don’t assume you’re not eligible—always check! To find the income standards, you can look at the rental units on Housing Navigator MA or ask the property manager. Here’s a simple breakdown:

Who is eligible

• 📑 You usually need to make no more than 60–80% of the median/middle income for your area (also known as the area median income or AMI) to qualify.
• These apartments may also have a minimum income requirement.
  • Note: These minimum income requirements may not apply to housing voucher holders for programs such as Section 8 or MRVP.

How much do you pay

• 💰 Your rent payment won't change based on your income, but rents are typically cheaper than "market rate" apartments in the surrounding area.
• 📢 The rent is generally set so that a family in the 60-80% AMI income range would spend no more than 30% of their income on rent. Check with each opportunity to find out the specific rent since they are set based on area incomes where the unit is located.
• 📈 Like other private apartments, there can be rent increases over time. 

🛑 Heads up: In areas with high average incomes, even some “affordable” rents might still be too high for you. If the rents on these apartments seems too expensive, you might consider apartments where the rent is based on your income, like public housing or housing voucher programs.

⚡ And if your income has been too high for other programs, this may be a good opportunity for you. 

💫 If you have a voucher, like Section 8 or MRVP, these apartments can be a great opportunity. Having a voucher means the portion of the rent you pay will be based on your income. It also usually waives the income minimum.

How to find these apartments

1. 🔎  Go to Housing Navigator MA — it’s a free website that lists many affordable apartments across Massachusetts. It shows: Who can apply, What the rent is, How to apply
2. 📞 Call Apartment Buildings — If there’s a local market-rate apartment building you think may have affordable units, call the property manager and ask if they have any income-restricted apartments and what their income standards are. Even if nothing is open now, you can ask to be added to the waitlist.
3. 📄 Apply for Lotteries — Many new affordable apartments are given out through a lottery system. If your name is picked, you may get the chance to rent one of those apartments. You can find lottery listings: On Housing Navigator MA, in local newspapers, or on your city or town’s website. In Boston, you can also search for private affordable apartments on Metrolist. 

📣 Income limits and rents can also vary across cities and towns, so also check out apartments in more than one location.

Start searching on Housing Navigator MA  Search in Boston on Metrolist 

There are also some private affordable apartments with rent based on your income

There are some opportunities to live in a private apartment building and still have a rent based on your income, through programs like HUD 202 (for seniors) and Project-Based Section 8 vouchers. Project-based vouchers are attached to specific apartments, unlike mobile section 8 vouchers which move with the person.  You can also use a mobile housing voucher to rent a private affordable housing unit, and have a rent based on your income.

• Cost: Rent for these units is adjusted based on your income. It is usually about 30% of what you earn.
• Eligibility: You typically need to make 50% of AMI or less to qualify.

How to Apply: 

• 🏢 For HUD 202 (for seniors) - Contact your Local Housing Authority
• 🏫 Project-based vouchers - Contact your local RAA to learn which properties are in your area. or apply directly to the properties through their owner-maintained PBV waitlists.
• 📝Mobile housing vouchers - Read more about the different types of vouchers 

How to get help

If you have questions about a specific opportunity, don't hesitate to contact the program or property manager.

And if you're still figuring out what type of affordable housing would work best for you or need help with an application...

• 👀 Checkout our summary page: How to Start Looking for Affordable Housing in Massachusetts.
• 📞Call Mass 2-1-1 for help figuring out which programs to apply to first or where to get help with your application.
  • Contact: Call 2-1-1 or 877-211-6277. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with translation available.
• 🖐Contact a Housing Consumer Education Center (HCEC) near you for 1-on-1 help, including help completing applications. 

If you need emergency housing help, help with your utilities or are looking for another housing program, visit our Massachusetts' Housing Assistance page.