This page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic. In that case, a landlord who has exercised the option to turn down RAFT COVID funding for a tenant, who then began or continued an eviction process for that tenant, may be vulnerable to a discrimination claim. Thank you for your website feedback! Contact the Volunteer Lawyers Project for more information. If the landlord accepts, they forfeit the right to evict for six months or until June 2021. There does not appear to be a clear answer for when funding is received, however, the first payment of the benefit must be used within 60 days of an applicant being determined eligible for RAFT money (barring documented administrative delays or extenuating circumstances). In August 2022, the limit was changed again. But considering the language in discrimination law 151B, theres too much risk and vulnerability for discrimination liability to take that step hastily. Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program Renters or landlords can apply by submitting an online application. A lock icon ( As discussed earlier, families who receive RAFT funding can use that money for a variety of purposes to avoid becoming homeless or to find housing if they are currently homeless. Others need 12 weeks or longer. Program administrators will determine if your application qualifies for ERMA or RAFT. If an asking rent price for a particular unit is above fair market rent or payment standard, discrimination law does not require a landlord to take less than the full rent to accommodate Section 8 recipients. Fair Housing Policies & Procedures | Privacy Policy, Lynn HOME-ARP Allocation Plan Community Forum Information. RAFT helps all kinds of households by providing up to $10,000, within a 12-month period, to help preserve current housing or move to new housing. Once you have submitted your application, your landlord/property owner will be asked to provide the following documents: The RAFT application takes between 20-50 minutes to complete. The Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) announced the pilot program for its new application portal for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT). RAFT sends payments to your landlord or mortgage company. The consequences for noncompliance are potentially severe, up to $50,000. They can use it for first and last months rent, a security deposit or even furniture (furniture expenses are capped at $1,000). The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can also help youfind a housing counseling agency (HCA). ***Your account must have info entered for the Payee, Properties, and Payment Methods sections on your profile before you can apply. The RAFT Program is a homelessness prevention program funded by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). If you do not think your tenant has access to email, DHCD recommends you have your tenant initiate the application with their local RAA. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. fhousing@lhand.org The process for referrals from partner agencies has several steps: For greatest efficiency and to ensure the swiftest process, please provide all required documents and explanation of the housing crisis. During(or after)the RAFT benefit period, the tenant does notmeet themonthly rent payment obligationthat is stated in the agreement. Find out whether your tenant has already submitted an application for rental assistance. Residents can call 702-229-5935 if they are facing an eviction or need help applying for the RAFT program Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please visit. This could include loss of income or increased expenses for those families in the higher income group (3080% AMI depending on funding source). Under review tells the landlord or tenant that the application portions have been matched up, and it is being reviewed for eligibility. The rental assistance agreementincludes the following line: If the Participant's tenancy is terminated prior to the period for which any monthly rental stipend payments were made, I agree to return the unused balance of said funds to the Agency.. oSSx3xg=]z3|3|1Y|L8fu?|O>w~>~~o>j~Vc~_yw|yw/k7w/xwq&-Gd[WW? Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. (MassLandlords data, compiled through a rent survey as part of the Individual Claims Council initiative, shows that average arrears are $4,169 among 59 respondents, representing 765 rental units. RAFT helps all kinds of households by providing up to $10,000, within a 12-month period, to help preserve current housing or move to new housing. Eventually, that number increased, and families were able to access up to $4,000 in funds, with the possibility of reapplying after 12 months if they needed additional assistance. Please do not include personal or contact information. The largest non-profit for owners and managers of Massachusetts residential real estate. Better Lives. This included applications received prior to that date that were not processed until after the first. Landlords can apply for RAFT! Youve been added to our list. Legislative Affairs Counsel Renters who are in arrears may qualify for one or more subsidies, e.g., Rental Assistance for Families in Transition ( RAFT ), Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance ( ERMA ), and Emergency Assistance Rental Program ( ERAP ). Language Assistance Plan (LAP) | Reasonable Accomodations, function googleTranslateElementInit() { Please limit your input to 500 characters. The application will also require property owner documents if requesting arrears or start-up costs. The state officially adopted the program in 2006, and since then, RAFT funding has continually gone up, with funding for the 2019 fiscal year hitting $20 million. Tuesday 8 AM 7 PM Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. General Law 151B, the states discrimination law, bars discriminating against anyone receiving public assistance, including rental assistance. RAFT - Lynn Housing Authority If you have questions regarding how to complete the application, please contact Metro Housings Housing Hub at 617-425-6700 or via e-mail at ResourceLine@MetroHousingBoston.org. The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing situations when facing eviction, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. Proceed with caution if you are a landlord considering declining RAFT COVID funding, especially in cases in which the funds would fully cover rent arrears, could cure nonpayment, and/or stabilize the tenancy. Please limit your input to 500 characters. The RAFT COVID program is presented as an option to landlords, who may, according to its language, decide whether or not to accept the funding in excess of $4,000. Furniture. 100 Cambridge St, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02114. Search Eviction Records by Address (Beta). Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance (ERMA) Funds Still Available We also have RAFT Application walk in hours on Tuesday and Friday 9:30am-11:30am and Wednesday 1:00-3:00pm. Maximum arrears are $44,615.). Apply for Financial Assistance | RCAP Solutions Landlords should beware of a potentially problematic legal gray area built into the language of the RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition) COVID $10,000 option. Since such a family is beyond stabilization with RAFT alone, such a family would likely not be eligible for any RAFT assistance at all. Until Jan. 1, 2023, Landlords are required to send a notice to quit for non-payment of rent. These twelve organizations process RAFT applications, request additional documentation as needed, and administer RAFT benefits (directly to the landlord or utility provider). The administering agency could require a handrail to be installed, even though this would cause the landlord to lose money on the Section 8 rental compared to a market rental, which would not necessarily trigger enforcement of that part of the code (ignoring, for the sake of argument, that the handrail should be provided regardless of an inspection). You skipped the table of contents section. The RAFT program is open to all types of landlords, including private landlords, non-profit landlords, and government landlords. Toll-Free: 800.272.0990 The requirement of only one set of signatures; Reduced documentation requirements for household identification new income verification processes will allow for automatic data matching with DTA, MassHealth, or DOR (UIOnline and WageMatch). RAFT may be used for the following costs: One prospective (future) rent payment (stipend) in limited situations, Moving-related expenses (first/last/security, moving trucks, and furniture). LANDLORD JOURNEYS: Understand what to expect when you or your tenant applies for emergency housing payment assistance. During COVID-19, the sustainability requirement was removed (Jan. 11, 2021), and then after it was reinstated. Please let us know how we can improve this page. You can fill out the information with them. Each assistance application will have two parts, one for landlords and one for tenants. As a landlord, get answers to questions about accepting state funded rental assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Massachusetts Community Mediation Centers also offer free pre-court mediation between landlords and tenants for COVID-19 related lease disputes in addition to the summary process cases referred through the courts. The RAFT COVID program appears to be presented as an option for landlords to accept or decline. Households composed of any of the following:Individuals, families with older children, couples without children, unaccompanied youth, and households of any size. Signed W-9 in the name of the property owner. Please do not include personal or contact information. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. A lock icon ( The landlord may file for eviction under the following situations. Note that the Tenant Application Code is different from their Case ID. The CM will sometimes follow up directly with the family with clarifying questions. RAFT/ERMA Landlord Application Instructions - Massachusetts You do not need to immediately leave your apartment. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Once the application is in, the landlord will receive an email or call informing them an application has been started by one of their tenants. Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, Applying for Rental Assistance in Massachusetts to Avoid Eviction, online through the Commonwealths Central Application, contact the Housing and Community Development, Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program.
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