Emergency Housing Assistance

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Tenants

Eligible households can receive up to $7,000 in a 12-month period in state RAFT funds. Federal immigration status has no impact on eligibility for most of this funding. In order to be eligible, a household must:

  • Currently rent as a primary residence in Massachusetts

  • Have a gross household income under 50% Area Median Income (AMI). Income eligibility will be based on  current income. AMI varies by region of the state.

  • For households applying to RAFT for assistance with rent arrears, a notice to quit or eviction notice/court summons is now required.

I’m ready to apply. What do I do?

  • Apply Online

  • Fully complete the application. This includes providing documentation (see list below).

  • Make sure to respond to CMHA staff in a timely manner.

  • Notify your landlord or lender you have applied for assistance. Try to pay what you can. You are still responsible for your housing payment and making partial payments shows a good faith effort to your landlord.

  • 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. 

Documentation required for RAFT

  • ID for Head of Household (Examples: a state issued driver’s license, birth certificate, or passport) 

  • Proof of Current Housing (Examples: a lease, tenancy agreement, or tenancy at will agreement) 

  • Verification of Housing Crisis (such as a Notice to Quit, an eviction notice, a utility shutoff notice, or documentation showing an inability to stay in your current home due to health, safety, or other reasons) 

  • Income Verification. In addition, after you apply, we will need to verify your income. We will attempt to do this automatically through a data match with other benefits programs and will reach out to you to provide income documents if necessary. 

  • Landlords will be needed to complete the process. Please reach out to your landlord/property management ahead of time.  

    If you do not provide an email/contact information for the property owner, you may experience a delay in the processing of your application.  

 
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Funds are available for people who live in or are moving to these locations. If you reside elsewhere, use this lookup tool to find your provider.

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Apply Now

What to expect

Application processing can take several weeks and funds are not guaranteed. Please wait at least 10 business days before calling to check on your application. When calling, please leave your name, call back number and application number. We also have RAFT Application walk in hours on Tuesday 9:30am-11:30am and Wednesday 1:00-3:00pm.

Having trouble applying online?

The best way to apply is online. However, if you are unable to complete the application online, you can email hc@cmhaonline.org or call 508-752-5519, ext. 172. Our staff will call back to assist you in the order your message was received. Note that it will likely take 5 business days to hear back due to high volume.

  • Email to hc@cmhaonline.org

  • Fax to (508) 752-5009

  • CMHA, 6 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609