7004-9030 Alternative Housing Voucher Program

For a program of rental assistance for non-elderly persons with disabilities established under chapter 179 of the acts of 1995; provided, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, rental assistance shall be in the form of mobile vouchers; provided further, that the vouchers shall be in varying amounts and set by the department based on considerations including, but not limited to, household size, composition, household income and geographic location; provided further, that any household which is proven to have caused intentional damage to its rental unit in an amount exceeding 2 months' rent during any 1-year lease period shall be terminated from the program; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be no maximum percentage applicable to the amount of income paid for rent by each household holding a mobile voucher, but each household shall be required to pay not less than 25 per cent of its net income, as defined in regulations adopted by the department, for units if utilities are not provided by the unit owner or not less than 30 per cent of its income for units if utilities are provided by the unit owner; provided further, that payments for rental assistance may be provided in advance; provided further, that the department shall establish the amounts of the mobile vouchers, so that this appropriation is not exceeded by payments for rental assistance and administration; provided further, that the department shall not enter into commitments which will cause it to exceed this appropriation; provided further, that the amount of a rental assistance voucher payment for an eligible household shall not exceed the rent less the household's minimum rent obligation; provided further, that the word "rent" as used in this item shall mean payments to the landlord or owner of a dwelling unit under a lease or other agreement for a tenant's occupancy of the dwelling unit but shall not include payments made by the tenant separately for the cost of heat, cooking fuel and electricity; and provided further, that nothing stated in this item shall give rise to or shall be construed as giving rise to enforceable legal rights in any party or an enforceable entitlement to any form of housing