Tenants
Section 8/Subsidy:What is subsidized housing? What is Section 8?
Subsidized housing is housing that is affordable because you pay a portion of your income towards your rent. Subsidized housing can be in private low-rent housing, public housing and in the form of a rental subsidy.For more information about affordable housing, we recommend the booklet How to Obtain Housing Assistance in Massachusetts, 2004, published by the MA Department of Housing and Community Development click here, or call (617) 573-1100.
What is private low-rent housing?
The government gives funds directly to apartment owners, who lower the rents they charge low-income tenants. You can find low-rent apartments for senior citizens and people with disabilities, as well as for families and individuals.
What is public housing?
Public housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, elders, and people with disabilities. Public housing comes in all sizes and types, from scattered single family houses to high-rise apartments for elderly families. In Massachusetts, public housing is administered by the Local Housing Authority in each city or town where the housing is located.
What is Section 8?
The Section 8 program, now called the Housing Choice Voucher Program, is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, elders, and people with disabilities to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.
Participants are free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects.
Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs). The PHAs receive federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the voucher program.
A family who is issued a housing voucher is responsible for finding a suitable housing unit of the their choice. This unit may include the family’s present residence. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by the PHA.
A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the PHA on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. Under certain circumstances, if authorized by the PHA, a family may use its voucher to purchase a modest home.
How can I get a rental subsidy or find subsidized housing? How do I get on Section 8?
For Public Housing and Section 8, you must apply to the Local Housing Authorities (for both public housing and Section 8), and to one of the Regional NonProfit Housing Agencies (for Section 8). You are not limited to the number of local housing authorities to which you apply for public housing or Section 8. Please note that a number of Local Housing Authorities participate in a Centralized Section 8 waiting list (check out http://www.massnahro.org/ for information about this). You should only apply to ONE Regional Non-Profit Housing Agency (like CTI) since we all work together to administer the state-wide Section 8 program.
Do you have listings of subsidized housing?
The best resource for finding private subsidized housing (low income rental units) is through MassHousing. They have a comprehensive listing by community of low-income rental units. To find out more about the MassHousing list, go to http://www.masshousing.com/. The Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) also has an online listing; see www.massaccesshousingregistry.org.
How can I apply for housing either Section 8, subsidized, or project-based?
You may apply to any one of the regional nonprofit agencies that administer the statewide Section 8 program. If you apply to one of the regional housing agencies your name will be placed on a statewide Section 8 waiting list maintained by the Department of Housing and Community Development. These waiting lists are quite long.
You may also call our Housing Consumer Education Center at (978) 459-0551 to enroll in one of our Subsidized Housing work shops or apply any of the local housing authorities to find out how to submit an application. There is now a centralized waiting list in which 43 local housing authorities participate. You need only to apply to one of these authorities to be considered by all 43 authorities. Applications can be obtained online by visiting NAHRO. You may also apply to each housing authority that does not participate in the centralized list. Please note that some local housing authorities either do not have a Section 8 program or their waiting lists may be closed. For a recorded listing of housing authorities currently accepting Section 8 applications, please call: (508) 778-7507 ext. 4.
What is project-based housing?
Project-based rental assistance means rental assistance comes with the apartment. You will pay 30% of your income toward rent and the federal or state government (depending on the program that subsidizes the unit), pays the difference between your payment and the actual rent charged.
Under project-based housing programs, the rental assistance is tied to specific apartments. It is not a mobile subsidy that can be taken with you from place to place. If you move, you do not have any right to continued housing assistance. However, you may be eligible for a tenant-based voucher when one becomes available, depending upon the program.
My apartment received a failed inspection (Section 8). What does this mean? Do I have to move? If you are currently living in a unit that is being subsidized by Section 8 and that unit fails inspection, you may not have to move. If the property owner is willing and able to make the necessary repairs to the unit in a specific period of time so that it will pass inspection, you will not have to move. If your property owner is unable or unwilling to make the repairs to the unit so that it meets the requirements of a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection, then you will most likely have to move, after the housing agency has given the owner notice that the unit has failed, has given the owner reasonable time and notice to make the repairs and then notifies the owner that the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract will be terminated due to the fact that the unit is not meeting HQS. If the HAP contract is terminated, you will be given a new voucher to locate a new unit that will pass inspection. You should work closely with your housing leasing officer and housing inspector who will make sure that you are notified during each step of this process.
If a new unit that you are looking to move to does not pass inspection and the owner is not willing to bring it into compliance with HQS, you will not be allowed to move to that unit using your Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher.
Is there affordable housing available specifically for people with disabilities?
There are several different housing assistance programs targeted for people with disabilities. Some of these programs are in the form of Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher assistance and some of them are either public housing or project based units. Please contact our Housing Consumer Education Center at (978) 459-0551 to determine what is available in your area for people with disabilities. You may also consult Mass Access, a free program which helps people with disabilities to find rental housing in Massachusetts.
Do you offer a Section 8 Homeownership Program?
Community Teamwork does not currently offer a Section 8 Home ownership Program.
To find out if a town has a housing authority that offers the Section 8 Homeownership program, go to: http://www.hud.gov/local/ma/homeownership/hsgvouchers.cfm
Section 8/Waiting List:
How can I find out about the Section 8 waiting list?
Community Teamwork, Inc. can only provide you with confirmation that you are on our centralized waiting list and confirm your that your address is current in our system. Additionally, we cannot give out this information over the phone. If you wish to inquire regarding your status, please go 155 Merrimack St. 3rd floor Lowell, MA or submit a request in writing, attention to Patricia Fowler.
Applicants may apply to 4 different Section 8 lists:
- The Centralized Waiting list which will put you on lists at over 40 local housing authorities at the same time.
- Housing Choice Voucher program at the 9 regional nonprofit agencies that administer Section 8.
- Project Based Voucher Program where the subsidy is tied to the unit and is not mobile.
- Designated Housing Program if one or more of the household members is disabled.
- Other waiting lists at the local housing authorities.
If you have a change of address, you should contact any participating housing authority and regional nonprofit to report your address change. You should send all changes in writing.
How does a subsidy waiting list work? Why so long?
In a nutshell, the demand for Section 8 and other subsidy programs is much larger than the stock of available vouchers and project-based units, resulting in very long waiting lists. In fact, some housing authorities have chosen to close their waiting lists due to the high demand. DHCD’s regional nonprofit housing agencies administering the Section 8 program have not closed their waiting lists, but the lists are extremely long. In selecting households from its waiting lists, housing authorities may give preference to the following (1) homeless or living in substandard housing (2) involuntarily displaced and has not found replacement housing (3) paying more than 50% of its income toward rent. Households who qualify for these preferences may move ahead of others.
If you have applied for Section 8 housing through Community Teamwork, please remember to inform the Section 8 department in writing of any change of address. We need to be able to contact you when your name comes up on our lists.
Why is it taking so long for me to move up on the Section 8 waiting list?
Please refer to the response above.
Home Base:
All questions related to HomeBase, for tenants and landlords, please phone Carl Howell at (978) 654-5806 or email chowell@comteam.org.
Housing Search:
Can you help me find an apartment?
Yes. At our Housing Consumer Education Center there are listings of landlords in our area who have apartments to rent as well as computer, telephone, and newspaper resources to find apartment leads. We also offer Housing Search Workshops and online apartment listings .
If I find a property that interests me in your apartment listings, what is the next step?
Contact the landlord and discuss any questions you might have. If you are still interested, ask for an appointment to see the unit.
How do I prepare for an appointment with a landlord?
Applying for an apartment is similar to applying for a job. Be sure to dress nicely, arrive on time, and be polite. Expect the landlord to ask you questions about your rent history, employment history, credit history, and sources of income. Most landlords ask for references from previous employers and landlords. Be prepared to provide names and phone numbers.
Why do some landlords ask for security deposits?
A security deposit protects the landlord in case a family moves out leaving damages to the property, unpaid rent, late charges or unpaid utilities.
Where can I get help with move-in costs?
At various times throughout the year, the agencies receive funds from various sources that can be used to assist low-income families move in to permanent housing. Call our Housing Consumer Education Center at (978) 459-0551 and ask if funding is currently available.
How can I obtain money to pay for rent?
At various times throughout the year, the agencies receive funds from various sources that can be used to assist low-income families to maintain permanent housing. Call our Housing Consumer Education Center at (978) 459-0551 and ask if funding is currently available.
How can I get affordable housing?
Start by reading the booklet How to Obtain Housing Assistance in Massachusetts, 2004, published by the MA Department of Housing and Community Development – click here or call (617) 573-1100. We have a list of the MHFA (state subsidized) and HUD (federally subsidized) properties that determine rent based on the tenant’s income. We also have the state-wide Section 8 Application and a list of all the public housing authorities in the state that offer their own Section 8 and public housing programs. You will need to apply and follow up with any changes of address you have so you can remain in contact with the places to which you have applied. Be aware that some lists are closed and some have 3 to 5 year waiting lists. You may also enroll in one of Subsidized Housing Workshops to learn where and how to apply for subsidized housing.
How can I get an apartment if I have the financial means, but poor credit?
At our Housing Consumer Education Center, you may inquire about ways to mend your poor credit or obtain a referral to a credit-counseling agency to assist you, if necessary. They also will assist you to write a statement that explains your credit problem in the best possible light. They may even be willing to contact the landlord and discuss a possible agreement under which you may obtain the apartment. For more assistance, please call (978) 459-0551
To request a free copy of your credit report, go to www.annualcreditreport.com. Beware that other “free credit report” offers may not actually be free. To learn more, read this article.
How can I find rental properties in other areas?
CTI is part of a statewide network of housing agencies. We can refer you to an agency in the area in which you’re interested. Please call our Housing Consumer Education Center at (978) 459-0551
Repairs, Inspections, Code Violations:
How can I get the landlord to fix something if there are problems with my unit?
Notify your landlord as soon as the problem occurs. Be sure to note the date/time you spoke with him/her or left a message. Once you request the landlord to fix a code violation, follow-up with a letter which includes the date of request and the expected plan for the repair. Keep a copy for your file. If you receive no response, send a certified letter. If you do not receive a response to either request, contact your local Board of Health (BOH) – http://www.mahb.org/profile/Directory.asp
Can my landlord come into my unit without notice?
A landlord can only enter without a tenant’s permission in an emergency situation such as a broken pipe or gas leak. The tenant should be notified of the event, either verbally or in writing with a note of the event including date, time, issue and result.
The landlord may include a clause in a lease pertaining to access for certain purposes — in fact, the standard Section 8 lease includes a clause which states, “Upon reasonable notice, allow Owner to enter dwelling unit in order to inspect the premises, to make repairs thereto, or to show unit to a prospective tenant or purchaser. The Tenant will not be unreasonable in denying entry. The Owner may also enter upon the premises without prior consent if it appears to have been abandoned by the Tenant or in the case of an emergency.”
The State Sanitary Code requires a tenant to allow the owner access with reasonable notice to make repairs as required by the code. The landlord can go to court to obtain an order of access. If applicable, the landlord should provide a 24 hour notice if they need to enter.
Where can I find information about lead paint?
Information on lead paint can be found at http://www.masshousinginfo.org (search lead paint). Information can also be found through the MA Childhood Poisoning Prevention Program, (800) 532-9571, www.mass.gov/dph/clppp. The local Board of Health, the Department of Health and your child’s doctor may also have information regarding lead.
CORI: Can I be denied housing if I have a criminal record?
Yes, but you should appeal a decision if you can provide proof that you have turned your life around. You can access a CORI form from the Criminal History Systems Board. For more information, visit the Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries’ “Massachusetts Law About Criminal Records” page.
Please be aware that:
- State and Federal housing must follow regulations in their screening of CORI.
- The Housing Authority must give you an opportunity to explain your circumstances.
- Private landlords do not have to offer you an opportunity to explain your circumstances.
- It is illegal for a landlord to ask you to get your CORI and give him/her a copy.
- Anyone may access your CORI under the following circumstances:
- If you were convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for 5 or more years.
- You are presently or were recently in prison, incarcerated under a sentence.
- You are presently under probation or parole.
What is a rental agreement (tenancy at will)?
A rental agreement is an agreement between the landlord and a tenant in which the landlord agrees to rent an unit and the tenant agrees to pay rent, but no date is set for the agreement to end. Make sure this agreement is in writing.
What is a lease?
A lease is a written agreement between the landlord and the tenant with a fixed time frame to begin and end wherein the tenant agrees to pay the rent.
What type of notice do I have to give in order to move?
If you have a tenancy at will you must notify your landlord in writing of your plan to move by giving 30 days notice. Notice is required at the beginning of the rental period, (i.e., for a July 1 move, your LL would be given a 30- day notice on June 1). For more information, please visit our Housing Workshops page and take part in our Eviction Prevention/Tenant Rights workshop.
Homeless individuals and families
What are my options if I am homeless?
If you are homeless, your first option is to find family/friends with whom you can stay. If that is not possible and you are an adult with a child/children in your custody or you are pregnant, you can go to your local Department of Transitional Assistance (Welfare) office and apply for emergency shelter. If you are a single individual or 2 adults, you can ask our Housing Consumer Education Center, (978) 459-0551, for a list of shelters that are available to adults.
**If you are a homeless household without minor children, you are not eligible for EA shelter services through the Dept. of Transitional Assistance.**
For more information about getting into a shelter, please contact:
Tenants Section 8/Subsidy:What is subsidized housing? What is Section 8? What is private low-rent housing? What is public housing? What is Section 8? Participants are free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects. Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs). The PHAs receive federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the voucher program. A family who is issued a housing voucher is responsible for finding a suitable housing unit of the their choice. This unit may include the family’s present residence. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by the PHA. A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the PHA on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. Under certain circumstances, if authorized by the PHA, a family may use its voucher to purchase a modest home. How can I get a rental subsidy or find subsidized housing? How do I get on Section 8? Do you have listings of subsidized housing? How can I apply for housing either Section 8, subsidized, or project-based? You may also call our Housing Consumer Education Center at (978) 459-0551 to enroll in one of our Subsidized Housing work shops or apply any of the local housing authorities to find out how to submit an application. There is now a centralized waiting list in which 43 local housing authorities participate. You need only to apply to one of these authorities to be considered by all 43 authorities. Applications can be obtained online by visiting NAHRO. You may also apply to each housing authority that does not participate in the centralized list. Please note that some local housing authorities either do not have a Section 8 program or their waiting lists may be closed. For a recorded listing of housing authorities currently accepting Section 8 applications, please call: (508) 778-7507 ext. 4. What is project-based housing? Under project-based housing programs, the rental assistance is tied to specific apartments. It is not a mobile subsidy that can be taken with you from place to place. If you move, you do not have any right to continued housing assistance. However, you may be eligible for a tenant-based voucher when one becomes available, depending upon the program. My apartment received a failed inspection (Section 8). What does this mean? Do I have to move? If you are currently living in a unit that is being subsidized by Section 8 and that unit fails inspection, you may not have to move. If the property owner is willing and able to make the necessary repairs to the unit in a specific period of time so that it will pass inspection, you will not have to move. If your property owner is unable or unwilling to make the repairs to the unit so that it meets the requirements of a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection, then you will most likely have to move, after the housing agency has given the owner notice that the unit has failed, has given the owner reasonable time and notice to make the repairs and then notifies the owner that the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract will be terminated due to the fact that the unit is not meeting HQS. If the HAP contract is terminated, you will be given a new voucher to locate a new unit that will pass inspection. You should work closely with your housing leasing officer and housing inspector who will make sure that you are notified during each step of this process. If a new unit that you are looking to move to does not pass inspection and the owner is not willing to bring it into compliance with HQS, you will not be allowed to move to that unit using your Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher. Is there affordable housing available specifically for people with disabilities? Do you offer a Section 8 Homeownership Program? To find out if a town has a housing authority that offers the Section 8 Homeownership program, go to: http://www.hud.gov/local/ma/homeownership/hsgvouchers.cfm Section 8/Waiting List: How can I find out about the Section 8 waiting list? Community Teamwork, Inc. can only provide you with confirmation that you are on our centralized waiting list and confirm your that your address is current in our system. Additionally, we cannot give out this information over the phone. If you wish to inquire regarding your status, please go 155 Merrimack St. 3rd floor Lowell, MA or submit a request in writing, attention to Patricia Fowler.
If you have a change of address, you should contact any participating housing authority and regional nonprofit to report your address change. You should send all changes in writing. How does a subsidy waiting list work? Why so long? If you have applied for Section 8 housing through Community Teamwork, please remember to inform the Section 8 department in writing of any change of address. We need to be able to contact you when your name comes up on our lists. Why is it taking so long for me to move up on the Section 8 waiting list? Home Base: All questions related to HomeBase, for tenants and landlords, please phone Carl Howell at (978) 654-5806 or email chowell@comteam.org. Housing Search: Can you help me find an apartment? If I find a property that interests me in your apartment listings, what is the next step? How do I prepare for an appointment with a landlord? Why do some landlords ask for security deposits? Where can I get help with move-in costs? How can I obtain money to pay for rent? How can I get affordable housing? How can I get an apartment if I have the financial means, but poor credit? To request a free copy of your credit report, go to www.annualcreditreport.com. Beware that other “free credit report” offers may not actually be free. To learn more, read this article. How can I find rental properties in other areas? Repairs, Inspections, Code Violations: How can I get the landlord to fix something if there are problems with my unit? Can my landlord come into my unit without notice? The landlord may include a clause in a lease pertaining to access for certain purposes — in fact, the standard Section 8 lease includes a clause which states, “Upon reasonable notice, allow Owner to enter dwelling unit in order to inspect the premises, to make repairs thereto, or to show unit to a prospective tenant or purchaser. The Tenant will not be unreasonable in denying entry. The Owner may also enter upon the premises without prior consent if it appears to have been abandoned by the Tenant or in the case of an emergency.” The State Sanitary Code requires a tenant to allow the owner access with reasonable notice to make repairs as required by the code. The landlord can go to court to obtain an order of access. If applicable, the landlord should provide a 24 hour notice if they need to enter. Where can I find information about lead paint? CORI: Can I be denied housing if I have a criminal record? Please be aware that:
What is a rental agreement (tenancy at will)? What is a lease? What type of notice do I have to give in order to move? Homeless individuals and families What are my options if I am homeless? **If you are a homeless household without minor children, you are not eligible for EA shelter services through the Dept. of Transitional Assistance.** For more information about getting into a shelter, please contact:
Where can I get emergency assistance? What is Toolbox? Property Owners Payments: Why were my HAP payments suspended? I know that I have some outstanding issues with inspections, but you didn’t have to stop my rent! Apartment Listings: Will CTI help me to market my property? Tenant Behavior/Evictions: I would like to evict my tenant. Where do I start? Should you need additional information on the eviction process information is available on the following websites: What steps should I take if I think my tenant is selling drugs? Where can I obtain assistance and/or information if a tenant has destroyed or damaged a unit? If you are evicting the tenant, be sure to ask to be reimbursed for tenant damage as part of the eviction process. If the tenant has vacated the rental unit, you may deduct the cost of the repairs from the security deposit. You may also choose court action to recover damages from your tenant. If the amount that the tenant owes you is less than $2,000, you can bring action in small claims court. Small claims court is user-friendly, and you do not need an attorney to bring action in it. If your damages exceed $2,000, you should seek the counsel of an attorney to help you press your claim in court. For more information contact our Housing Consumer Education Center at (978)459-0551 or call your local courthouse. As a new landlord, where can I find information on rules and regulations? How can I get a rent increase? If your tenant has a lease, you cannot increase the rent until after the lease has expired. The only exceptions to this are when your lease contains either a “tax escalator clause” that allows you to pass a percentage of a property tax increase on to your tenant, or a “fuel escalator clause” that allows you to pass increases in fuel costs on to tenants for whom you are paying heating bills. The tax escalator clause must also include language stating that a pro-rated portion of any tax abatement will be rebated to the tenant (less attorney’s fees). What am I obligated to do with a security deposit?
What can I do if I have a vacant unit? How do I screen potential tenants? Where can I obtain information on how to list a vacant unit? Where can I get help to de-lead an apartment? Similarly, a rental owner or his or her employee may perform certain “moderate risk” deleading activities on his or her rental unit after first completing a one-day workshop offered at various locations around the state. (A list can be found at www.mass.gov/dph/clppp.) “High-risk” deleading activities can only be performed by a professional deleader. The “Get the Lead Out” program provides low-cost loans to investor-owners or to low- or moderate-income owner-occupants for the purpose of deleading rental units in one- to four-unit properties. For more details on this program, contact our Housing Consumer Education Center at (978) 459-0551 or go to view the Get The Lead Out brochure published by MassHousing. Funding may sometimes also be available for deleading properties of more than four units. Check with your local community development office or area nonprofit for details (a list of nonprofits can be found at www.masshousinginfo.org/mnpha). |