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 of housing and community development may require that not less than 75 per cent of newly issued vouchers be targeted to households whose income at initial occupancy does not exceed 30 per cent of the area median income; provided further, that the department may award mobile vouchers to eligible households currently occupying project-based units that shall expire due to the non-renewal 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 the use of a mobile voucher is or has been discontinued, then the mobile voucher shall be reassigned; provided further, that the department shall pay regional administering agencies not less than $50 per voucher per month for the costs of administering the program; 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, but not more than 40 per cent, of its income as rent; provided further, that the department shall establish the amounts of the mobile and project-based vouchers so that the appropriation in this item shall not be 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 shall include, but shall not be limited to, job training, counseling, household budgeting and education, as defined under regulations promulgated by the department and to the extent said 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 said program; provided further, that for continued eligibility, each participant shall execute such 12-month contract not later than September 1, 2020 if said participant's annual eligibility recertification date occurs between June 30, 2020 and September 1, 2020 and otherwise not later than the annual eligibility recertification date; provided further, that any participant who is over 60 years of age or who is disabled may be exempt from any obligations unsuitable under particular circumstances; provided further, that participating local housing authorities may take all steps necessary to enable them to transfer mobile voucher program participants from the Massachusetts rental voucher program into another housing subsidy program; provided further, that the department's approved monthly rent limits for mobile vouchers shall not be less than the current area-wide fair market rent based on unit size as established annually by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development; provided further, that the requested rent level for mobile vouchers shall be determined reasonable by the administering agency; provided further, that the department may assist housing authorities at their written request in the immediate implementation of a homeless prevention program utilizing alternative housing resources available to them for low-income families and the elderly by designating participants in the Massachusetts rental voucher program as at risk of displacement by public action through no fault of their own; provided further, that not later than January 15, 2021, the department shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means and joint committee on housing on the utilization of rental vouchers during the last 3 fiscal years under this item and item 7004-9030; provided further, that the report shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the number and average value of rental vouchers currently distributed in the commonwealth, in each county and in each municipality (ii) the number of distributed vouchers available to be utilized; (iii) the average number of days that it takes for a household to utilize a voucher after receiving it from the administering agency; (iv) the average number of days that it takes for project-based vouchers awarded by the department to be utilized after the award is made; (v) the number and type of new vouchers issued after July 1, 2020; (vi) the number of households on a waitlist for an available rental voucher; (vii) the number of households that reach the date by which they must lease up their voucher without having found an available unit; (viii) the number of households that apply for an extension by the deadline to lease up their voucher and the number of extensions granted; (ix) any actions taken by the department to reduce the wait time for households to lease up their voucher; provided further, that the report shall comply with state and federal privacy standards; provided further, that the department shall expend funds from this item for costs related to the completion of the voucher management system; provided further, that the department shall complete and implement the voucher management system not later than June 30, 2021; and provided further, that up to $9,498,706 appropriated for this item in fiscal year 2020 shall not revert but shall be made available for the purposes of this item in fiscal year 2021