Regional Administering Agencies Resource Portal

WELCOME TO THE REGIONAL ADMINISTERING AGENCIES (RAA) RESOURCE PORTAL

The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC, formerly DHCD) is partnering with RAAs to create more cross learning and engagement opportunities so that we are better positioned to reach our shared goals. We invite RAA staff to use this page to learn about key updates, training and learning opportunities, and provide helpful information to support our programs.

EOHLC continues to work with RAAs to streamline and implement initiatives that support the administration of the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT), and the Housing Consumer Education Centers of Massachusetts (HCEC) Programs. Thank you for your ongoing support of Massachusetts households. This repository of information is specifically intended to be used by RAAs so please avoid sharing this link with other parties.

Please utilize the Zendesk as a point of escalation for questions about the RAFT program. A member of the RAA support team will respond to your inquiries as quickly as possible.

We are working with community based organizations to help applicants improve their applications to ensure proper documentation, and resources for that can be found on the Service Organizations page.

FREQUENTLY USED RESOURCES

• RAFT Admin Plan (Effective August 29, 2023)
• Conflict of Interest Policy Memo
• HUD Fiscal Year 2024 AMI Agency Limits (Updated May 2024)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Office Hours training sessions will occur every other Friday from 1:00PM-2:00PM, covering a variety of topics aimed at sharing knowledge about RAFT and increasing engagement with the RAAs. Topics will be shared with RAA staff in advance of each biweekly session. Join the Office Hours sessions with this registration link.

RAFT AND HCEC PROGRAMS

RAFT PROGRAM

• RAFT Administrative Plan & Policy Guidelines

  • RAFT Admin Plan (Effective August 29, 2023)

  • RAFT Income Definitions

• DTA-MassHealth Benefits Presumed Income Eligibility Training
  • DTA-MassHealth Benefits Presumed Income Eligibility Deck
  • DTA - MassHealth Benefits Presumed Income Eligibility Training 1/22/21

• Rental Assistance Processing (RAP) Center 

  • RAP Center FAQ

• HAPPY Guidance

  • HAPPY Guidance Office Hours Training
  • HAPPY Data Dictionary
  • Office Hours Session- HAPPY Guidance, 2/5/21

 

• Office Hours (Please note: Information was accurate at the time of these presentations.  Policies, programs, and procedures may have shifted since the date these presentations occurred.)
  • Recording: RAFT Utility Refresher & E2E Build Updates, 3.22.24
  • Presentation: RAFT Utility Refresher & E2E Build Updates, 3.22.24
  • Recording: GIACT Fields and Verifying Owner Identity, 2.23.2024
  • Presentation: GIACT Fields and Verifying Owner Identity, 2.23.2024
  • Recording: Payments Reminders, 01.12.24
  • Presentation: Payments Reminders, 01.12.24
  • Recording: RAFT & E2E - Reflecting on the Last Year, 12.15.23
  • Presentation: RAFT & E2E - Reflecting on the Last Year, 12.15.23
  • Recording: FY23 RAFT Program File Review, 11.17.2023
  • Presentation: FY23 RAFT Program File Review, 11.17.2023
  • Recording: Income Verification & ID.me Preview, 10.06.23
  • Presentation: Income Verification & ID.me Preview, 10.06.23
  • Recording: Refresher: FY24 RAFT, 09.22.23
  • Presentation: Refresher: FY24 RAFT, 09.22.23
  • Recording: New Functionality and Updates, 08.25.23
  • Presentation: New Functionality and Updates, 08.25.23
  • Recording: Refresher on Application Processing in FY24, 07.14.23
  • Presentation: Application Processing in FY24 Pt II, 06.30.23
  • Recording:Application Processing in FY24 Pt II, 06.30.23
  • Presentation:Application Processing in FY24, 06.16.23
  • Recording:  Application Processing in FY24, 06.16.23 
  • Presentation: E2E Payment & Reminders, 05.19.23
  • Recording: E2E Payment & Reminders, 05.19.23
  • Presentation: LOI & E2E Updates , 05.05.23
  • Recording: LOI & E2E Updates, 05.05.23
  • Presentation: E2E Enhancements, 04.07.23
  • Recording: E2E Enhancements, 04.07.23
  • Presentation: E2E Payments, 02.24.23
  • Recording: E2E Payments, 02.24.23
  • Presentation: End-to-End (E2E) Omni Channel & Case Assignments, 02.10.23
  • Recording: End-to-End (E2E) Omni Channel & Case Assignments Part I, 02.10.23
  • Recording: End-to-End (E2E) Omni Channel & Case Assignments Part II, 02.10.23
  • Presentation: E2E Q&A, 01.27.23
  • Recording: E2E Q&A, 01.27.23
  • Presentation: End-to-End (E2E) Overview & Q&A Part II, 01.13.23
  • Recording: End-to-End (E2E) Overview & Q&A Part II, 01.13.23
  • Presentation: E2E Post Full Launch,12/16/22
  • Recording: E2E Post-Full Launch, 12/16/22
  • Presentation: E2E Post-Pilot, 11.22.23
  • Recording: E2E Post-Pilot 11.22.22
  • Presentation:E2E Introduction, 10/21/22
  • Recording: 10/21/22 Office Hours – The E2E Introductory Training Session 
  • Presentation: FY23 RAFT FAQ Update, 09/23/2022
  • Recording: FY23 RAFT FAQ Update, 09/23/2022
  • Presentation: FY23 RAFT Policy Refresher, 08/26/22
  • Recording: FY23 RAFT Policy Refresher, 08/26/22
  • Presentation: Revisited Community Mediation, 08/19/22
  • Recording: Revisited Community Mediation, 08/19/22
  • Presentation: FY23 RAFT Policy Changes, 07/29/22
  • Recording: FY23 RAFT Policy Changes, 07/29/22
  • Presentation: ERAP/RAFT Retrospective & RAFT Overview, 07/15/22
  • Recording: ERAP/RAFT Retrospective & RAFT Overview
  • Presentation: Fraud Best Practices & New Denial Form, 6/17/2022
  • Presentation: RAFT Overview and Q&A Session, 05/20/2022
  • Recording: RAFT Overview and Q&A Session, 05/20/2022
  • Presentation: Referrals to Nonfinancial Assistance, 04/29/2022
  • Recording: Referrals to Nonfinancial Assistance, 04/29/2022
  • Presentation: RAFT Policy Overview, 04/22/22
  • Recording: RAFT Policy Overview, 04/22/22
  • Presentation: RAFT Overview 4/15/22
  • Recording: RAFT Overview 4/15/22
  • Presentation: RAFT Overview, 04/08/22
  • Recording: RAFT Overview, 04/08/22
  • Presentation: RAFT Policy Overview, 04/01/22
  • Recording: RAFT Policy Overview, 04/01/22
  • Presentation: ERAP Closure and Shift to RAFT, 03/18/22
  • Recording: ERAP Closure and Shift to RAFT, 03/18/22
  • Presentation: Community Mediation, 03/11/22
  • Recording: Community Mediation, 03/11/22
  • Presentation: Policy Update Reminders and  Hotel & Manufactured Home Guidance, 01/14/22
  • Recording: Policy Update Reminders and  Hotel & Manufactured Home Guidance, 01/14/22
  • Presentation: RAFT ERAP Policy & CELHP Changes, 01/07/22
  • Recording: RAFT ERAP Policy & CELHP Changes, 01/07/22
  • RAFT ERAP Policy Changes, 12/10/21 (Presentation)
  • RAFT ERAP Policy Changes, 12/10/21 (Recording)
  • Presentation: RAFT ERAP Policy Changes, 12/10/21
  • Recording: RAFT ERAP Policy Changes, 12/10/21
  • Presentation: HAF Transition, 12/03/21
  • Recording: HAF Transition, 12/03/21
  • Presentation: Reminders & Updates, 11/05/21
  • Recording: Reminders & Updates, 11/05/21
  • Presentation: Policy Reminders, 10/29/21
  • Recording: Policy Reminders, 10/29/21
  • Presentation: DHCD Outreach Efforts,10/15/21
  • Presentation: Central App Refresher & Updates, 10/8/21
  • Recording: Central App Refresher & Updates, 10/8/21
  • Presentation: ERAP Retrospective and Appreciation, 10/1/21
  • Recording: ERAP Retrospective and Appreciation, 10/1/21
  • Presentation: Frequently Asked Questions, 9/24/21
  • Recording: Frequently Asked Questions, 9/24/21
  • Presentation: Compliance Common Findings & Best Practices, 9/17/21
  • Recording: Compliance Common Findings & Best Practices, 9/17/21
  • Presentation: HAPPY Review & Data Quality, 9/10/21
  • Recording: HAPPY Review & Data Quality, 9/10/21
  • Presentation: Income Verification Process Review, 8/27/21
  • Recording: Income Verification Process Review, 8/27/21
  • Presentation: ERAP FAQ’s, 8/20/21
  • Recording: ERAP FAQ’s, 8/20/21
  • Presentation: ERA 1 vs. ERA 2, 8/13/21
  • Recording: ERA 1 vs. ERA 2, 8/13/21
  • Presentation: Policy Updates (Utilities Increase, Stipends without Arrears, COVID Impact), 7/30/21
  • Recording: Policy Updates (Utilities Increase, Stipends without Arrears, COVID Impact), 7/30/21
  • Presentation: ERAP Policy Review (18 months, Recerts, Tenant Payments), 7/23/21
  • Recording: Office Hours Session: ERAP Policy Review (18 months, Recerts, Tenant Payments), 7/23/21
  • Presentation: ERAP Fraud Guidance, 7/9/21
  • Recording: ERAP Fraud Guidance, 7/9/21
  • Presentation: Tenant Payments Policy Review, 7/2/21
  • Recording: Tenant Payments Policy Review, 7/2/21
  • Recording: ERAP 2.0 18 Months Guidance, 6/11/21
  • Recording: ERAP 2.0 Guidance, 6/4/21
  • Presentation: ERAP Recertification Review, 5/21/21
  • Recording: ERAP Recertification Review, 5/21/21
  • Recording: Federal ERAP Recertification Preview, 5/14/21
  • Presentation: ERAP Utilities and Securely Working Remote, 4/30/21
  • Presentation: ERAP Data Quality, 4/23/21
  • Recording: ERAP Data Quality, 4/23/21
  • Presentation: ERAP Compliance, Quality Assurance, & Fraud Prevention, 4/9/21
  • Recording: ERAP Compliance, Quality Assurance, & Fraud Prevention, 4/9/21
  • Recording: ERMA and ERAP Policy Guidance, 4/2/21
  • Recording: ERAP HAPPY and Policy Guidance, 3/26/21
  • Recording: Review of Federal ERAP, 3/19/21
  • Presentation: Review of Federal ERAP, 3/19/21
  • Recording: Federal ERAP Overview, 3/12/21
  • Presentation: Federal ERAP Overview, 3/12/21
  • Recording: Property Owner Contracts, 2/26/21
  • Presentation: Owner Contract Updates Presentation, 2/26/21
• Reference Guides
  • Landlord Outreach Required Language Translations (Spanish & Portuguese)
  • HUD Fiscal Year 2024 AMI Agency Limits (Updated May 2024)

HCEC PROGRAM

• Authorization and Release Form
  • Cross Agency Referral Form
  • Cross Agency Referral Form FILLABLE

Massachusetts Emergency Housing Payment Assistance Portal

EOHLC has launched (known as DHCD at time of launch) a new online application system for RAFT across eleven regions served by the RAAs.  If you are working on an application in one of the regions, please find user guides to help you with the process below:

Tenant Portal Reference Guide

Landlord Portal Reference Guide

MEMO 

• Reallocated ERA Memo (Dec 30, 2022)

EMERGENCY HOUSING PAYMENT ASSISTANCE APPLICATION FORMS

Paper Applications for End-to-End Portal

Tenant

English: E2E Tenant Application

Spanish: E2E Tenant Application

Russian: E2E Tenant Application

Vietnamese: E2E Tenant Application

Chinese: E2E Tenant Application

Khmer: E2E Tenant Application

Haitian Creole: E2E Tenant Application

Potuguese: E2E Tenant Application

Landlord

English: E2E Landlord Application

Spanish: E2E Landlord Application

Community Mediation Services Training

• Community Mediation Services Training
• RAFT Community Mediation Services Reference Guide
• Office Hours Session- Community Mediation Services, 1/26/21

Community-Based Organization (CBO)

MOU Template CBO Targeted Support

CBO Monthly Reporting Template

DHCD Program FAQs - CBO Targeted Support