Section 8 Housing
for residents of Massachusetts
AN OVERVIEW
Section 8 housing is a federal assistance program that helps low-income Massachusetts residents
pay for their housing. Section 8 rental vouchers
help Massachusetts tenants pay their rent; Section
8 homeownership assistance helps pay mortgage loans; and project-based Section 8 subsidies
help keep rents low in specific private housing developments in Massachusetts.
Section 8 is also called the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
For more information, click on the topics below:
With a Section 8 tenant-based voucher, a family may choose its own apartment.
The apartment must be safe and clean, and the rent must be reasonable. Families
usually pay 30% of their income for rent, and the Section 8 program pays
the rest. If the family moves, they may use their voucher for a different
apartment.
With a project-based Section 8 voucher, a family must live in a specific Section
8 subsidized housing unit. These subsidized housing units are privately
owned, but the
owners get help from the government in return for low rents. Families usually pay
30% of their
income for rent, and Section 8 pays the rest. If the family moves, the voucher
goes to the next family that rents that apartment.
A family that has had a Section 8 rental voucher for at least a year
and decides to buy their own home may use their voucher to help pay for
the mortgage. To qualify,
the family must be a first-time homebuyer and must buy a house that meets the Section 8 program standards.
The Rental Assistance Eligibility Check is an easy way for you to find out if you are likely to qualify for Section 8 tenant-based vouchers, by answering questions online about your family, your income, and your expenses. You will see the results of the eligibility check right away, on your computer screen.
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