Information for Tenants & Homeowners
Eligible households can have unpaid rent covered, as well as some future rent. Homeowners impacted either directly or indirectly should now apply for the Homeowner Assistance Fund https://massmortgagehelp.org/ and are no longer eligible for RAFT. Homeowners not impacted by COVID are still eligible for RAFT."
- Currently rent or own housing as a primary residence in Massachusetts
- Have a gross household income under 80% Area Median Income (AMI). Income eligibility will be based on current income. AMI varies by region of the state.
- Applicants do not need a notice to quit, court summons, or utility shut-off notice to apply.
The Federal CDC eviction moratorium is no longer in effect.
However, certain state rules may prevent your eviction if you have a pending emergency rental assistance application.
- You can still access legal services to assist you. Visit the Commonwealth's Eviction Diversion page here: http://mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-housing-resources-and-guidance
- If you are a homeowner, it is important that you contact your mortgage servicer (the company where you send your monthly payments) as soon as possible to let them know about your current circumstances.
- Have patience. There are thousands of households in need. Regional Administering Agencies are reviewing applications as quickly as possible. Upon applying you should receive confirmation (it may be automated) that the application has been received. While it is tempting to call and check on the status of your application, please note that this only diverts staff from processing applications and slows how quickly they will get to your application. This is a challenging time and your patience is appreciated.
- You may also be eligible for local Emergency Rental Assistance. Take a look at this database to see if your community has a local program and how to apply.