Covid-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Information

Funding is available for tenants and homeowners for emergency rental and mortgage assistance. In addition to the $350,000 that Belmont has been spending on emergency rental assistance (funded through the Community Preservation Act), the state is providing assistance through the following programs available to tenants, homeowners, and landlords.

More than $100 million in emergency rental assistance through Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) and Emergency Rental & Mortgage Assistance (ERMA). Households can apply for up to $10,000 from these programs through Metro Housing Boston: https://www.metrohousingboston.org/. 

Tenants and landlords can access legal representation and related services prior to and during the eviction process, as well as community mediation to bring tenants and landlords together to find a resolution. Tenants and owner-occupants can access legal help through the COVID Eviction Legal Help Project: https://evictionlegalhelp.org/about/. Mediation services can be accessed at Resolution Massachusetts: https://www.resolutionma.org/.

If you have any questions about rental or mortgage assistance, please call 2-1-1.

More information on the Massachusetts Eviction Diversion Initiative can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/guides/facing-eviction-we-can-help

When Belmont started our own emergency rental assistance program, the Housing Trust sent letters to every landlord in the assessor's database with information about Belmont's program and information for tenants. As our local program is winding down, our program administrator, Metro West Collaborative Development, is referring people to RAFT for emergency rental assistance.

 - Rachel Heller, Belmont Housing Trust Co-Chair

https://www.belmont-ma.gov/housing-trust