Practical Applying Tips
Applying for Emergency Assistance Shelter: A guide for families (Also in Spanish) (10/15)
The EA program is administered by the MA Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) (Known as the Dept. of Housing & Community Development or DHCD prior to 5/30/23).
Families can apply either:
- By phone 866-584-0653 (M-F, 8-4)
- Should I apply by phone? Easiest if already receiving TAFDC, EAEDC or SNAP and therefore are in the Dept. of Transitional Assistance (DTA) computer system called BEACON. EOHLC workers should have read-only access to BEACON where they can see many of the needed verifications. If you are not already receiving DTA benefits you will need to provide certain documents, so to apply by phone you need access to a fax machine or a scanner and e-mail.
OR
- In-person at one of the select DTA offices that accept in-person applications. Certain offices are open to the public for limited hours, but advocates as of 10/23 recommend applying by phone as office hours are inconsistent. If appearing in person, families should ask to speak with the EOHLC housing/shelter worker (if a EOHLC worker is not there that day, they should be able to connect on the phone).
DTA Offices that accept in-person applications: please see website for offices and hours: mass.gov/how-to/find-emergency-family-shelter
Families should call or appear as early in the day as possible (as the process can easily take all day, or even several days), but no later than 4 pm.
See more Practical Applying Tips.
Families may go to any DTA office that accepts applications, though if they go to an office other than their local office EOHLC staff may question them about it and try to encourage them to go to that office. Wherever they apply, it is important that once they start an application that they continue the application through that office.
Ask for the EOHLC housing worker. While these workers are in DTA offices, they work for another agency- EOHLC.
These housing workers work for EOHLC and not DTA, They should however have "read-only" access to DTA's computer system (called BEACON). So if you are receiving benefits from DTA (TAFDC, EAEDC, SNAP) the EOHLC worker should be able to access your basic information which may reduce the number and type of verifications you need to submit.
When to go and what to expect: They only accept applications until 4 pm on weekdays, but families should go as early in the day as possible. If possible families should make an appointment, but if they can't make one, they should go anyway. They have a right to complete an application that day if they arrive before 4 (but no guarantee that they will be housed that night).
Even in the best case scenario where applicants are clearly eligible and they have all of their documentation in hand, it typically takes all day to complete the application process and placement process. Often the process takes more than one day, even several days.
Advocacy tip: If a family does not have a car and if it is likely that the family will be placed on a given day- they should bring all of their belongings and their children to the DTA office for the day (even if this means taking the kids out of school). If a placement is offered, the DTA office will provide transportation to the shelter. That transportation will not make any stops such as to pick up belongings or children. If the family turns down that placement because of this, or fails to arrive at the placement because of lack of transportation, they will be subject to the EA 12 month bar.
Residency
EOHLC workers will ask for a Mass Driver's License, Mass ID or recent utility bill to prove residency. There are many other documents that can prove residency. This list of identity documents (starting at p. 4) can also be used to establish residency IF the pertinent document includes a Massachusetts address.
Intent to stay- according to the EA Advocacy guide, any third-party verification that shows you are in the Commonwealth with an intention to reside should be good enough to prove Massachusetts residency. The preferred forms of verification for adults are a Massachusetts ID or driver’s license or a current utility bill. Other acceptable alternatives include:
- A letter from a child’s primary care doctor listing a Massachusetts address.
- Proof that any of the children in the family are registered for school in Massachusetts. If families have difficulty enrolling children in school they should ask to speak with the district's Homeless Education Liaison. Registration in school can be verified by a transcript or in a letter on the school’s letterhead, which should be able to be obtained quickly.
- Proof of voter registration in Massachusetts. One does not need a fixed, permanent address to register to vote; if living outside they can even show the voter registration staff where they are living on a map.
- The EA Advocacy guide advises that if you are denied for lack of proof of Massachusetts residency and you intend to remain in Massachusetts and need emergency shelter, to contact an advocate.
Income
Prospective Income- EOHLC typically will ask for pay stubs to verify income. If the pays stubs give an inaccurate picture of the family's current situation- such as the parent has been laid off since, or hours have been cut, or during that time they were paid for overtime that will not be available in the future, families can ask them to look at income on a "Prospective Basis" (future income). Families will need to prove that the situation has changed, perhaps with a letter from the employer.
More on what income is counted.
DTA record sharing- As noted above, the EOHLC worker does not have easy access to DTA records. However, if the EOHLC worker needs an important document that the family no longer has EOHLC can get it from DTA, it just takes longer and is a more involved process than if one can provide the document anew.
Assets
The asset limit for EA is $5,000.
Countable assets, include cash and bank accounts, as of July 1, 2019 now includes any vehicles above one non-recreational vehicle, cash surrender value of life or burial insurance (not complete list). See the EA Advocacy guide for more.
Non-countable assests include one non-recreational vehicle, the assets of an SSI recipient or a recipient of state or federal foster care payments. (Note: Assets of an SSI recipient do not count toward the EA asset limit, even though the income of an SSI recipient does count toward the EA income limit.) This is not a complete list of non-countable assets. See the EA Advocacy guide for more.
This asset limit does not apply to families already in EA shelter who have saved money required by their EA rehousing plan. the value of one non-recreational vehicle owned by the household.
Asset transfers- Under EOHLC regulations, you are not eligible for EA if you transferred real or personal property within the previous year for the purpose of becoming eligible for EA. If you did not know about EA at the time of the transfer, or there was another reason you transferred the property, this rule should not bar you from being eligible for EA.
Source and for more information: EA Advocacy Guide questions 6 & 7 (in 2019 version)
Homeless- Eviction
When in the eviction process can one apply for EA as homeless?
The eviction process begins with the service of a notice to quit and ends with the tenant leaving the property either voluntarily or by forcible action by the constable or sheriff (called levying on the execution). The date that the family is considered to become homeless for EA purposes is 48 hours from the date that they are required to vacate (date is included in the notice of levy): i.e., after the notice of levy on execution has been served and less than 48 hours remain until the date set for the levy OR if the head of household signed a “vacate” agreement or judgment when the date set for move-out or issuance of execution (or whichever is later if both dates are set) is less than 48 hours in the future. If a family abandons housing pending eviction (any time after the notice to quit but before the 48 hour window) they may be required to request that the landlord let them return to the unit until the order to vacate, or ask the court for a temporary restraining order allowing the tenant to return to the apartment until the completion of the eviction before qualifying for EA. If the landlord has allowed a new family to move in or otherwise refuses for them to return, then the date they became homeless is the date they voluntarily left the apartment.
(Adapted from Housing Stabilization Notice 2012-05 see: 7. Determining the Date of Homelessness)
Remember that the REASON for the eviction must also meet certain criteria- the tenant must not be at fault.
Homeless Category 4
12 Month Bar
- If they refuse offer of shelter or safe, permanent housing, the only way to still be eligible for shelter in the future is to show good cause, and one of the few realistically reliable "good cause" reasons was because of hospitalization.
- HomeBASE-
- those who got HomeBASE assistance and had never had EA shelter are NOT subject to the 12 month bar, i.e., would be eligible for EA
- If had HomeBASE HOUSEHOLD assistance- generally a 3 month bar. Unsafe housing exemption- rare circumstance when one could return to EA in less than 3 months: had to exit EA for HomeBASE housing that at the time was thought to be safe and permanent housing that turns out not to have been safe and permanent at time of move. (Source
see p 2.
)
- If had HomeBASE RENTAL ASSISTANCE and were terminated from program or left program if family did not comply with stabilization plan - 24 month bar.
- If someone came to Massachusetts to seek medical attention and abandoned public housing in their home state they MAY be able to make a case that the 12 month bar shouldn't apply, but it will be difficult.
- Some limited exceptions to bar/advocacy tips for those evicted from public or subsidized housing:
- if the unit was "decertified" from section 8 for example, and it therefore is no longer subsidized, bar should not apply.
- if the subsidy was a "shallow" subsidy such as in a tax credit unit
- has something happened since eviction such as intervening housing that breaks the chain of causation leading back to eviction from public/subsidized unit?
- is eviction really for non-payment?
- is there an ADA case that was not made adequately at time of eviction?
