Trainings
Community-Based Organization Trainings
- Presentation: Community-Based Organization FY25 RAFT Policies Training
- Recording: Community-Based Organization FY25 RAFT Policies Training
Landlord and Property Manager Trainings
- Presentation: Landlord and Property Manager FY24 RAFT Training
- Recording: Landlord and Property Manager FY24 RAFT Training
Housing Help Hub
The Housing Help Hub is EOHLC's online application system for RAFT across eleven regions served by the Regional Administering Agencies (RAAs). If you are working on an application in one of the regions, please find user guides to help you with the process below:
Landlord Portal Reference Guide
Landlord FAQs for Emergency Housing Payment Assistance Portal
RAFT Program FAQs
What is the wait time for a RAFT application to go through?
The processing time depends on how complete the application and documentation are, but the average time is just under one month.
What if a household applied for RAFT and is awaiting approval but the landlord doesn’t do the landlord application?
Once a household submits an application, the landlord will receive email reminders that their tenant has applied and that they need to complete the landlord application. If the landlord does not complete the landlord application, the household’s application will be timed out after 21 days. Landlords should be made aware that failure to participate may violate fair housing law and may result in a tenant filing a complaint at a state or local fair housing agency.
Who can I contact if I have specific questions on a case?
Your local Regional Administering Agency (RAA) is the best point of contact for case questions.
If I submitted an application on behalf of a tenant as the tenant’s advocate, will the tenant also receive email updates about the application?
Yes, the tenant will also receive email notifications if the tenant’s email address was provided in the application.
Does the RAFT program have a sustainability requirement? For example, can a renter receive assistance to pay rent owed even if they do not have enough income to pay rent in future months?
Households are not required to demonstrate future sustainability in order to access RAFT.
If a tenant owes more than $7,000 in rent, will RAFT automatically deny their application?
The tenant will not be denied automatically but will be required to provide a plan for the remaining balance that RAFT cannot cover.
How current does rent arrearage documentation need to be?
Rent ledgers, Notices to Quit, etc. need to be current enough to show the amount being requested, and Notices to Quit need to be dated within 90 days of the RAFT application.
What document do you need to provide if someone has been living in an apartment and has never signed a lease but needs assistance with rent?
If there is no lease or tenancy at will agreement in place, the legal property owner (or property manager designated by the owner) may provide a written verification of the tenancy.
What documentation can be submitted to verify an overcrowding housing crisis?
To verify that a household is doubled up or overcrowded, the household can submit a letter from the primary tenant or landlord that includes the address where the household is staying and verifies that the household is being asked to leave within 30 days. Documentation demonstrating that the current unit is too small for the number of people living there, such as a letter from the landlord verifying the number of people and bedrooms in the unit, would also be acceptable.
Can tenants in subsidized housing apply for rental assistance multiple times within the same 12-month award cycle if the total amount owed is under the $7,000 benefit cap?
Tenants with income-based rental subsidies cannot receive assistance for more than six months of rent arrears in a rolling 12-month period, and RAFT can only cover months where there is a housing crisis and verifiable good cause for nonpayment of the subsidized rent.
For tenants in subsidized housing, what can be submitted as Good Cause documentation for a hardship related to a disability?
Acceptable Good Cause documentation for disability-related hardship could include a letter from the applicant’s medical provider explaining how a hardship related to their disability directly affected their ability to pay rent.
Can current residents of public or subsidized housing apply for start-up costs assistance (first/last month’s rent, security deposit, moving)?
Yes, if they have an eligible housing crisis such as being evicted from the public housing unit.
Can a person apply to RAFT for start-up costs assistance even though they have not identified a potential unit?
Yes, they can apply through the Letter of Intent process, which is a type of rental assistance application for tenants who plan to move within 90 days but don’t know exactly where they will be living. Tenants who have been found pre-eligible will be given a Letter of Intent, which confirms they are pre-eligible for start-up costs assistance. A pre-eligible tenant will have 90 days to find a unit. When the tenant finds a unit, they must log back into the Housing Help Hub and provide details about the new unit by submitting a RAFT application. The new landlord will need to complete a landlord application as well, but the tenant’s eligibility does not need to be checked again.
Does RAFT cover rental application fees for households looking to move?
RAFT does not cover rental application fees because landlords cannot charge application fees in Massachusetts under MGL c. 186, § 15B.
Can RAFT be used to move out of state?
Yes, if moving out of state will resolve the housing crisis, a household can use RAFT for start-up costs such as first and last month’s rent and security deposit.
Can RAFT assistance be used to buy furniture?
Yes, if the household is experiencing an eligible housing crisis, RAFT can pay for furniture for the new unit. The limit for furniture payments is $1,000.
Can RAFT be used to buy appliances?
Yes, RAFT can be used to pay for appliances if the household is experiencing an eligible housing crisis and the unit does not include an appliance required to make the unit habitable, such as a refrigerator or a stove. The limit for appliance payments is $1,500.
Will RAFT pay for phone or internet services if the household is at risk of shutoff?
No. For utilities, RAFT only covers gas, electricity, water, and deliverable fuel such as propane or oil.
How would a household submit a RAFT application for oil?
They would apply through the usual RAFT application, which has a question that asks if the household is looking for utility assistance. The Regional Administering Agency (RAA) that is processing the application will work with the oil provider directly for the required information.
Are homeowners who got mortgage assistance in the past from the Massachusetts Homeowner Assistance Fund (Mass HAF) eligible for RAFT?
Yes, homeowners who received assistance from Mass HAF are eligible for RAFT. Mass HAF payments do not count towards RAFT eligibility.
Can RAFT be used to pay Homeowner Association (HOA) fees that are past due?
Yes, RAFT can be used to pay overdue HOA fees if the fees are putting the homeowner household at imminent risk of foreclosure.
| Date published: | November 3, 2020 |
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| Last updated: | January 8, 2025 |