COVID-19 Resources
Housing Assistance for Tenants
and Homeowners
Adapted from a document created by the Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN). Contact Lew Finfer at [email protected] with questions and suggestions.
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Eviction and Foreclosure Moratorium Law: In effect through August 18. Advocates are campaigning to extend the moratorium and other tenant protections for a year.
Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT): State program that can pay $4000 toward rent, mortgage, and other housing expenses to those unemployed because of COVID-19 layoffs and other low- to moderate-income people.
Local Rental Assistance Programs: Many cities and towns are setting up locally-funded rental assistance programs similar to RAFT.
More on COVID-19
Eviction and Foreclosure Moratorium
The statewide Eviction and Foreclosure Moratorium, signed into law on April 20, affects tenants, homeowners of one- to four-family owner-occupied buildings, small businesses, and landlords.The moratorium is in effect through August 18, 2020. Advocates are campaigning to extend the moratorium and other tenant protections for a year.
See the full text of the moratorium law: Chapter 65 of the Acts of 2020.
See the state’s emergency regulations, forms, guidance, and other resources.
Produced by Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Reviewed 4/28/20
Note: Sections in brackets [ ] added by MA Communities Action Network as additional info.
The law temporarily stops almost all evictions. For evictions covered by the law:
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- Your landlord is not allowed to send you any eviction notices. They must not send you a:
- Notice to Quit,
- 14-day notice,
- 30-day notice,
- Notice to vacate, or
- Any other kind of notice that says you must move out.
- Your landlord cannot file a new eviction case against you in court, for:
- Non-payment of rent,
- No-fault/no cause, or
- most cause reasons.
- Courts cannot schedule hearings or other events in court.
- Courts cannot enter judgments, including “agreements for judgment” or default judgments.
- Courts cannot issue orders to evict, “executions.”
- Landlords are not allowed to give executions to sheriffs to serve “48 hour notices.”
- Sheriffs, constables and movers must not physically move you out of your home.
- Your landlord is not allowed to send you any eviction notices. They must not send you a:
Residential Assistance
for Families in Transition
As soon as someone has been laid off, furloughed, or otherwise lost their job because of the COVID-19 epidemic, they can apply for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) state program.
The state-funded RAFT program is a tool used by the Housing Consumer Education Center (HCEC) team to provide eligible households up to $4,000 per 12-month period that can be used to help retain their housing, obtain new housing, or otherwise avoid becoming homeless.
Questions?
If your agency or community group would like to know more, contact Lew Finfer at [email protected] for help setting up a Zoom call with a staff person from one of the agencies that runs the program.
Who qualifies for RAFT?
Applicants for RAFT must have incomes below 50% of the Area Medium Income. In the Boston area, these income limits are:
| Family size: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Income limit: | $44,800 | $51,200 | $57,600 | $63,950 | $69,100 | $74,200 | $79,300 | $84,450 |
Click here to determine income limits based on your location and family size.
Undocumented immigrants don't qualify for unemployment insurance, but they do qualify to get $4000 paid toward their rent through RAFT.
Any person or family can apply if they're income-eligible, not just immigrants.
What can raft funds be used for?
- Rental or mortgage arrearages.
- Security deposits.
- First and last month’s rent.
- Utility arrearages.
- Furniture (May only be requested if connected to a housing crisis).
Who Administers RAFT?
Nine regional nonprofits administer RAFT in Massachusetts:
Local Rental Assistance
Many cities and towns are setting up locally-funded rental assistance programs similar to RAFT. As of June 1, about 25 cities and towns have set up these funds and additional ones are considering it. Municipalities are using funding from
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the first Federal CARES Act bill
- Local Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds
- Local municipal budget funds, etc.
Call your City or Town Hall’s housing and/or planning department to find out if they have such funds. Boston, Malden, Pittsfield, Chelsea, Waltham, Framingham are just some of the communities that have set these up.
For Boston’s Rental Relief Fund with $5 million in funding: www.boston.gov/departments/neighborhood-development/office-housing-stability/rental-relief-fund
They have application forms in English, Español, Kriolu Kabuverdianu, Kreyòl ayisyen, Tiếng Việt, 中文.
For more information, call the City of Boston Office of Housing Stability at (617) 635-4200