Housing Services
Housing Services
Rent Relief, Utility Arrears, and Eviction Prevention
Metro Housing|Boston’s Housing Supports department includes many programs, activities, and resources that can help prevent eviction and homelessness. These initiatives, such as RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition) and Emergency Rent and Mortgage Assistance (ERMA), are funded by public contracts and private grants and donations, and help low-income renters to achieve housing stability and better lives.
RAFT: Residential Assistance for Families in Transition
&
ERMA: Emergency Rent and Mortgage Assistance
The state-funded RAFT & ERMA programs are tools used by the HCEC team to provide eligible households or individuals up to $10,000 that can be used to help keep their housing, obtain new housing, or otherwise avoid becoming homeless.
We understand that the COVID-19 health crisis has made it difficult to get some documents. Please complete the application and attach the documents that you have available. If you do not have access to the documents and need additional time, please let us know, and we will do our best to work with you.
Due to the overwhelming demand for assistance, it may take us up to eight weeks to contact you. Please be sure your application and all documentation are complete. Contacting us prior to assignment will delay processing.
We appreciate your patience. Our staff will review submitted applications that are complete before those that are incomplete, and we may give priority to emergency situations where an eviction execution is imminent.
Who qualifies for RAFT & ERMA?
What can RAFT & ERMA funds be used for?
Program funds can be used for housing-related expenses only. Appropriate uses of funds include, but are not limited to:
For More Information
For more information about RAFT and ERMA, click on the English overview (below, left) or the Spanish overview (below, right) or contact our Housing Hub team at 617.425.6700 or via email.
ENGLISH SPANISH
Applications in Other Languages
RAFT-ERMA Joint Application Haitian Creole – Fillable
RAFT-ERMA Joint Application Portuguese – Fillable
RAFT-ERMA Joint Application Russian – Fillable
RAFT-ERMA Joint Application Vietnamese – Fillable
Additional Flexibility in Response to COVID-19
In response to the increased need due to COVID-19, DHCD has authorized a series of changes to make RAFT a more effective tool to help address today’s housing crises. The most significant changes include:
ResourceLine@MetroHousingBoston.org
617.425.6700.
The Housing Consumer Education Center
1411 Tremont Street, Boston, 02120
Metro Housing|Boston in Your Community
Colocations are part of Metro Housing|Boston’s ongoing efforts to be more visible in the communities we serve and to be more responsive to our clients and their housing needs. Partnering with local agencies and using their expertise in the community increases our ability to effectively serve those in need of housing assistance.
These partnerships help the residents of that area participate in our programs without the added hassle of securing transportation and spending time traveling far from home.
Can’t make it to our office? (Our office is closed to the public until further notice) Contact the Housing Hub at ResourceLine@MetroHousingBoston.org or at 617.425.6700 for locations and schedules.
Green Space Financial Coaching
Green Space is a financial literacy and housing stabilization program for low- and moderate-income families and individuals in Greater Boston. Green Space provides workshops and one-on-one financial coaching with no time limits, focusing on each participant’s financial priorities. Green Space also provides housing stabilization case management services as needed.
Topics Covered
Who would benefit from this program?
To schedule a financial coaching session, you may reach out directly to Matt Gibson, Housing Services Specialist, Metro Housing|Boston, at (617) 425-6773 or matthew.gibson@metrohousingboston.org.