Income Guidelines for Public Housing in MA
Because having safe and hospitable lodgings to come home to every night is an essential piece in developing a successful lifestyle, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, or EOHED, provides about 90,000 units of state and federally subsidized housing in the state. Administered by the state's 253 local housing authorities, these subsidized accommodations have different financial eligibility requirements, depending on whether it's a state funded or federal housing program.
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Massachusetts Public Housing Financial Eligibility
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Because housing costs vary widely around regions of the state, there isn't a single income requirement to qualify for state-funded public housing. Instead, applicants must earn less than 80 percent of the median income for their area as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Consult your local housing authority for information about income guidelines in your neighborhood. Maximum incomes for a family of four range from $21,650 in Providence-Fall River to $30,900 in Eastern Worchester County for fiscal 2010. Income limits are determined by household size.
Other State Eligibility Requirements
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To qualify to live in state-funded elderly housing developments, an applicant must be at least 60 years old. To qualify for housing for disabled applicants, an applicant must receive either Social Security disability insurance or supplemental security income from the Social Security Department or a doctor's letter to prove disability. Only 13.5 percent of each area's public housing is available to family and single applicants, with the majority devoted to housing families and the elderly and disabled. In addition, applicants who are homeless due to natural disasters, public action or emergency are given priority treatment, as are veterans.
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Rent in State Public Housing
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Instead of charging rents on a per-unit basis on state-subsidized public housing units, local housing authorities base rent costs on a tenant's net income, their total earnings after certain costs of living are deducted. Tenants in housing reserved for elderly or handicapped residents pay 30 percent of their net income in units where utilities are provided, or 25 percent of net incomes where utilities are paid for by the tenant. Residents of family and single applicants pay 32 percent of net income in utility-provided housing, 30 percent of income in homes where some utilities are covered and 27 percent when tenants are responsible for all utilities.
Federal Public Housing Financial Eligibility
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The Department of Housing and Urban Development also provides funding to local housing authorities to administer its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. Like state programs, eligibility is determined by local median income rates, although most applicants must have much less income to qualify for federal programs. HUD mandates that 75 percent of all Section 8 recipients earn 30 percent of the area's median income, and 25 percent may earn 50 percent of the area's median income. In some areas, families with up to 80 percent of the local median income may receive assistance, although this is rare in Massachusetts.
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