What subsidized housing programs exist in Massachusetts

Massachusetts runs several subsidized housing programs through different agencies, and the one you can use depends on your income, family size, and what type of housing you need. The largest program is Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, which lets you rent from a private landlord and pay a portion of the rent while the state pays the rest. The state also operates public housing — apartments owned and managed directly by local housing authorities in cities and towns across the state. A third option is project-based rental information, where subsidies are attached to specific buildings rather than to you as a tenant.

Each program has its own waiting list, its own income limits, and its own process process. A housing authority in one town does not share its waiting list with another town. This means you may need to contact multiple local authorities to find out where you can actually get on a list, because some lists are closed and some are open only at certain times of the year.

The state also funds programs for specific populations — people experiencing homelessness, people with disabilities, seniors, and families fleeing domestic violence. These are often run by nonprofits under contract with the state, and they have their own intake processes separate from the main housing authorities.

Key Takeaways

  • Massachusetts subsidized housing is managed by local housing authorities in each city and town, not by a single state office, so you must contact your own municipality to learn what programs exist there.
  • Section 8 vouchers and public housing have separate waiting lists that often close when they reach capacity, and you can only find out the status by calling your local authority directly.
  • Your income must fall below a set limit for your family size, and these limits vary by program and by the area where you want to live.
  • Specialized programs for homeless people, people with disabilities, and domestic violence survivors exist but are run by different organizations and have different process routes.
  • The state housing search tool and 211 Massachusetts can tell you which authorities serve your town and whether their lists are currently open.

How to find your local housing authority

Start by identifying which city or town you live in or want to move to. Then contact that town's housing authority directly — this is the fastest way to learn what programs they run and whether they are taking new applications. You can find the contact information through the state's housing search tool at mass.gov, or by calling your town's main municipal office and asking for the housing authority or housing department.

If you do not know which town to contact, or if you want to explore options across multiple towns, call 211 Massachusetts (dial 2-1-1 from any phone). They maintain a database of housing programs and can tell you which authorities serve your area and which ones currently have open waiting lists. This saves you from calling ten authorities only to learn their lists are all closed.

When you reach your local housing authority, ask three specific questions: Do you have Section 8 vouchers available? Do you have public housing available? Are you currently accepting new applications, or is the waiting list closed? Write down the answers and the name of the person you spoke with, in case you need to call back.

Income limits and what counts as income

Every subsidized housing program in Massachusetts has an income limit based on your family size and the area median income for your region. The limit is usually between 50 and 80 percent of the area median income, depending on the program. This means a family of four in Boston may have a different income limit than a family of four in Worcester, because the median incomes are different.

When the housing authority calculates your income, they count wages from employment, Social Security, unemployment benefits, child support, and most other regular money coming in. They do not count certain things — some programs exclude the first $480 of earned income per person, and some exclude income from children under 18. Ask your local authority exactly what they count and what they do not, because this can make the difference between being over and under the limit.

You will need to prove your income with recent documents. Bring recent pay stubs (usually the last 30 days), a letter from your employer stating your hourly wage and hours per week, tax returns from the past two years, and proof of any benefits you receive. If you are self-employed, bring tax returns and business records. If your income varies, the authority will average it over the past 12 months.

The waiting list and how long it takes

Once you are on a waiting list, you wait for your name to come up. How long this takes depends entirely on the program and the authority. Some Section 8 waiting lists in Massachusetts have wait times of three to five years. Some public housing waiting lists are shorter. Some authorities are not taking new applications at all and have closed their lists indefinitely.

While you are on the waiting list, your circumstances can change — your income can go up or down, your family size can change, or you can move to a different town. When you are called, the authority will verify that you still meet the income and family size requirements. If your income has risen above the limit, you may be temporarily ineligible, though some programs allow you to stay on the list and be reconsidered later.

The waiting list is not first-come, first-served in all cases. Some authorities use a lottery system to select from their waiting list. Others prioritize based on need — for example, people experiencing homelessness or people with disabilities may move up the queue. Ask your local authority how they select from their waiting list so you understand where you stand.

What documents you need to bring

When you contact a housing authority to explore, ask them for a complete list of required documents before you visit. Most authorities require proof of identity, proof of income, proof of residency, and information about your family. Here is what you typically need:

  • A photo ID (driver's license, passport, or state ID)
  • Proof of Social Security number (Social Security card, tax return, or W-2)
  • Proof of income for the past 30 days (pay stubs, benefits letter, tax returns)
  • Proof of residency in Massachusetts (utility bill, lease, or mail from a government agency)
  • Birth certificates for all household members
  • Information about any disabilities in your household (if explore for a disability program)
  • Documentation of any criminal history (the authority will ask about this)

If you do not have all these documents, ask the authority which ones are absolutely required and which ones you can provide later. Some authorities will work with you if you are missing documents — for example, if you do not have a birth certificate, they may accept a hospital record or baptism certificate instead.

Programs for specific populations

Massachusetts has separate programs for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, people with disabilities, seniors, and families fleeing domestic violence. These programs are often run by nonprofits and have different process processes than the main housing authorities.

If you are experiencing homelessness, contact your local Continuum of Care coordinator or call 211 to be connected to emergency shelter and housing programs in your area. If you have a disability, ask your local housing authority whether they have units set aside for people with disabilities, or contact the state's disability housing program. If you are a senior, some towns have senior-only housing with lower income limits. If you are fleeing domestic violence, organizations like the Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence can connect you to safe housing.

These specialized programs often move faster than the main waiting lists because they serve urgent needs. The tradeoff is that they may have more restrictions on where you can live or what support services you must accept as part of the housing.

What happens after you are approved

When your name comes up on the waiting list and you are approved, the housing authority will give you a voucher (if it is Section 8) or offer you a specific unit (if it is public housing). If you receive a Section 8 voucher, you then have a set amount of time — usually 60 to 120 days — to find a landlord who will accept the voucher. Not all landlords accept Section 8, so you may need to contact many landlords before you find one.

Once you find a unit and a landlord agrees to rent to you, the housing authority will inspect the unit to make sure it meets housing quality standards. If it passes, you sign a lease and move in. You will pay your portion of the rent (usually 30 percent of your income) and the housing authority pays the rest to the landlord.

If you receive public housing, the authority will assign you a unit based on availability and your family size. You move in and pay rent based on your income. Your rent can change if your income changes, so you must report any income changes to the authority.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I be on multiple waiting lists at the same time?

Yes. You can explore to your local housing authority and also to authorities in neighboring towns. Each authority has its own waiting list, so being on one does not affect your ability to be on another. However, once you are offered housing from one authority, you must decide whether to accept it or stay on other lists.

What if I have a criminal record?

Housing authorities can deny you based on criminal history, but they must follow specific rules. They cannot deny you based on an arrest alone — only a conviction. They also cannot deny you based on a conviction that is more than seven years old, with some exceptions for violent crimes or drug-related offenses. Ask your local authority about their specific policy and bring documentation of your record if you have one.

Can I move to a different town while I am on a waiting list?

If you move, you will need to reapply to the housing authority in your new town. Your old waiting list process will likely be closed. However, some authorities will transfer your process if you move within their service area — ask before you move.

What if my income goes up after I am approved?

If you are in Section 8, your rent will increase, but you will not lose your voucher. The authority recalculates your portion based on your new income. If you are in public housing, the same thing happens — your rent goes up but you keep your unit. However, if your income rises significantly above the program limit, you may eventually be asked to leave, though this varies by program.

How do I know if a landlord will accept Section 8?

You have to ask. When you find a unit you are interested in, tell the landlord you have a Section 8 voucher and ask if they accept it. Many landlords do, but some refuse. Your housing authority can also provide you with a list of landlords in your area who have accepted Section 8 in the past, though this list may not be current.