Boston Announces $3 Million Fund to For Emergency Rental Assistance During Outbreak

On April 4, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh that the city will make $3 million available to assist Bostonians who are at risk of losing their rental housing due to the pandemic. The funds will help income-eligible tenants in Boston achieve housing stability by providing direct financial relief of up to $4,000 to assist with rental payments. Applications to the Rental Relief Fund will be available on Monday, April 6th.

The newly established fund, which is being managed by the Office of Housing Stability at the Department of Neighborhood Development with two nonprofit partners, Metro Housing|Boston and Neighborhood of Affordable Housing (NOAH), will provide income-eligible Bostonians with up to $4,000 in financial assistance to be used for rent. To qualify for this financial assistance, residents must either not be eligible for the new extended unemployment benefits offered by the federal government, or because of the nature of their job, the unemployment benefits that they will receive represent a significant reduction in their actual income. The funding will only be available to households earning less than 80 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), which is $72,000 for a two-person household.  A significant portion of these funds are reserved for households with extremely low incomes (under $25,000 for a single-person household), and very low-incomes or less than $42,000 for a single person (50 percent AMI).

For more information visit: https://www.boston.gov/news/3-million-fund-help-bostonians-pay-their-rent-during-covid-19-pandemic.