RAFT UPDATE: FY'07 IMPLEMENTATION

The Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program started up again for FY2007 on August 15th. This $5 million program provides critical cash assistance to help families at-risk or experiencing homelessness achieve housing stability.

Program Changes for FY'07

RAFT, which is administered by the state's nine regional nonprofit housing agencies, has been operating under updated guidelines developed by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Some of the changes were made so as to bring the program in line with the standards set forth by the Legislature in the FY'07 budget. Among the changes called for by the budget, DHCD now requires families at risk of becoming homeless to show that they have had a significant increase in expenses or decrease in income and that their income or circumstances have now changed before they can be approved for RAFT benefits.

As the line item allows DHCD to set program guidelines, DHCD initiated other changes. A major change was the virtual elimination of families living in public or subsidized housing from the program. According to the program guidelines released in early August, DHCD presumed that families with subsidies would not be able to meet the eligibility criteria (except for those families moving into subsidized housing from a homeless situation and a small group of subsidized families needing assistance in order to pay off a utility arrearage so as to get the utility company to initiate service at a new address.)

After advocacy work by the Coalition for the Homeless and receipt of a sign-on letter signed by more than 40 allied organizations, DHCD agreed to work with advocates and providers to develop updated guidelines and forms.

The updated guidelines, which were issued at the end of August, allow some families living in public or subsidized housing to regain access to the program.

Families who need help with a utility arrearage, start-up costs, or transportation costs will have the same access to RAFT funds as families living in market-rate housing.

DHCD will continue to presume that families in subsidized housing will be unable to meet the eligibility criteria to receive assistance with rental arrearages, but now will afford families the opportunity to rebut that assumption.

Families who need help with a rental arrearage will be required to submit an additional form with their application , which is to be completed by the tenant and the subsidy provider (local housing authority, regional nonprofits, private developer, etc.). This form will ask about the circumstances leading to the rental arrearage, if the family received a rent adjustment, and if the family was offered/has complied with a rent repayment plan. The regional nonprofit will use the information submitted on this form to make the eligibility determination.

For more information about the RAFT program, see the DHCD website: www. mass.gov/dhcd/Temp/raft/ . Additional materials can be found on the Coalition's website: www.mahomeless.org/facts/factsstateprograms.html.

-Adapted from: e-mail “RAFT Update: FY’07 Implementation and a Victory for Families”, from Kelly Turley, Mass. Coalition for the Homeless, September 01, 2006.

9/06