Last updated: 7/13/23

Rental Relief Fund

We're dedicating federal funds to help Boston residents at risk of losing their housing.

Page Sections

If you need help completing a Rental Relief Application, please email rrf@boston.gov or call 617-635-4200 and select 5.

At risk of being evicted?

Visit our eviction page for resources. If you’re able to, you should pay your rent. Applying for rental assistance may “stop the clock” on the eviction process if you currently have a case in Housing Court.

Mayor's Office of Housing

Housing Stability
617-635-4200
rrf@boston.gov
43 HAWKINS STREET

BOSTON, MA 02114

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 9 A.M. - 5 P.M.

Program guidelines and Eligibility

We're dedicating federal funds to help Boston residents who are having difficulty paying their rent.

The Rental Relief Fund Rental will provide up to $10,000 in assistance for income eligible households for up to 18 months for:

arrears
current rent
future rent
utility arrears (up to $2,000, must have shut-off notice), and
moving-related expenses (when facing immediate housing insecurity).

After receiving two months of future rent, applicants will need to pay their rent for four to six months before applying for additional future stipends. Applicants must also be behind on rent before applying to receive additional assistance. Applicants will be required to pay 30 percent of their income towards future rent.

The Rental Relief Fund is open to households earning less than 50% of Area Median Income. We also prioritize households where one or more members have been unemployed for the past 90 days.

THE CITY OF BOSTON’S RENTAL RELIEF FUND CAN HELP RENTERS WITH THE FOLLOWING EXPENSES:

Past due (from March 13, 2020), current, and up to two months of expected rent costs. You must use the Rental Relief Funds for at least one month of past due rent in order to apply for up to two months of future stipends

THE CITY OF BOSTON’S RENTAL RELIEF FUND CANnot HELP RENTERS WITH THE FOLLOWING EXPENSES:

Rental and utility arrears from before March 13, 2020
Payments to sober houses
Payments to landlords that are relatives or family members (unless relative has incorporated as LLC)
Future rent payments for tenants with a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)

TO BE ELIGIBLE, YOU MUST BE:

a City of Boston resident,
at or below 50 percent AMI,
at risk of homelessness or housing instability, and
NOT a full-time college or graduate student,
able to sustain your apartment, by fully and consistently paying your rent and utilities, for the foreseeable future. Sustainability criteria includes, but is not limited to, number of previous months receiving rental assistance, rent burden (percentage of your monthly income that goes toward your rent), length of unemployment, and efforts made to maximize monthly income.

Notes

Applications for moving requests must be tied to an eviction, notice to quit, or risk of housing stability. The Office of Housing Stability reserves the right to deny a request for moving assistance if it is determined that the move would put an applicant in an unsustainable rental agreement.
Recipients of a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) are eligible for rental arrears assistance only.
If the Boston Housing Authority is your landlord, visit the Housing Authority website for more information. You can also call 617-988-5060 or email rental.relief@bostonhousing.org. Please include your name, address, and telephone number in any message. You can also download the Public Housing Rental Relief flyer in English, Español, or 中文.
Chapter 151B of the Massachusetts General Laws prohibits discrimination by a landlord against any tenant receiving federal, state, or local housing subsidies, including rental assistance or rental supplements, because the individual is such a recipient. A landlord’s refusal to accept emergency rental assistance, that covers the entire amount owed to the landlord, may, in some circumstances, constitute a violation of Chapter 151B. Landlords should consult their own legal counsel for advice before declining rental assistance that covers all outstanding rent arrears.