7004-9024 Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program

For a program of rental assistance for low-income families and elderly persons through mobile and project-based vouchers; provided, that such assistance shall only be paid under the Massachusetts rental voucher program; provided further, that the income of eligible households shall not exceed 80 per cent of the area median income; provided further, that the department may require that up to 75 per cent of the vouchers be targeted to households whose income at initial eligibility does not exceed 30 per cent of the area median income; provided further, that the department of housing and community development may award mobile vouchers to eligible households currently occupying project-based units that shall expire due to the nonrenewal of project-based rental assistance contracts; provided further, that the department, as a condition of continued eligibility for vouchers and voucher payments, may require disclosure of social security numbers by participants and members of a participant's household in the Massachusetts rental voucher program for use in verification of income with other agencies, departments and executive offices; provided further, that if a participant or member of a participant's household fails to provide a social security number for use in verifying the household's income and eligibility, then that household shall no longer be eligible for a voucher or to receive benefits from the voucher program; provided further, that the monthly dollar amount of each voucher shall be the department-approved monthly rent of the unit less the monthly amount paid for rent by the household; provided further, that any household that is proven to have caused intentional damage to its rental unit in an amount exceeding 2 months of rent during any 1 year period shall be terminated from the program; provided further, that if a mobile voucher's use is or has been discontinued, then the mobile voucher shall be reassigned; provided further, that subsidies shall not be reduced due to the cost of inspections; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, each household holding a voucher shall pay at least 30 per cent of its income as rent, except that the household payment in any project-based unit that is subsidized under another federal or state subsidy or public housing program shall be subject to applicable limits on tenant-paid rent under such federal or state program; provided further, that at initial occupancy, each household holding a voucher shall pay not more than 40 per cent of its income as rent; provided further, that following initial occupancy, a household holding a mobile voucher may, but shall not be required to, pay more than 40 per cent of its income as rent in order to maintain occupancy of a particular housing unit where the rent payable to the landlord less the maximum voucher payment based on household size and income, unit size and contract rent would exceed 40 per cent of household income; provided further, that the department shall establish the amounts of the mobile vouchers and the project-based vouchers so that the appropriation in this item is not exceeded by payments for rental assistance and administration; provided further, that the department shall not enter into commitments which shall cause it to exceed the appropriation set forth in this item; provided further, that the department may impose certain obligations for each participant in the Massachusetts rental voucher program through a 12 month contract which shall be executed by the participant and the department; provided further, that such obligations may include, but shall not be limited to, job training, counseling, household budgeting and education, as defined in regulations promulgated by the department and to the extent these programs are available; provided further, that each participant shall be required to undertake and meet these contractually established obligations as a condition for continued eligibility in the program; provided further, that for continued eligibility, each participant shall execute this 12 month contract no later than September 1, 2019 if the participant's annual eligibility recertification date occurs between June 30, 2019 and September 1, 2019 and otherwise not later than the annual eligibility recertification date; provided further, that any participant who is over the age of 60 years or who is disabled may be exempt from any obligations unsuitable under particular circumstances; and provided further, that notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, funds may be expended from this item for the costs of a voucher management system