Massachusetts Emergency Rental Assistance Programs in Response to COVID-19

In response to the unexpected sudden shuttering of businesses and loss of income due to COVID-19, cities and towns across Massachusetts began seeking ways to assist their residents to pay for housing. The Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP), and Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) created a survey instrument to get information from local governments about an emerging trend in response to this crisis – locally funded Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) programs. This report, Massachusetts Emergency Rental Assistance Programs in Response to COVID-19, summarizes the results of this survey.