Housing Stability

A new law prohibits landlords of residential rental properties from requiring that tenants pay the landlords’ broker fees. The state has an FAQ page with more information.

Last-reviewed: Oct. 15, 2025

Eviction and housing court navigation

  • Some evictions are eligible to be sealed so that evictions will not be as large a barrier for tenants seeking new housing. Use the guided interview form to help walk through the process and complete the petition. Helpful information for tenants is available at www.SealMyEviction.Org.
  • Housing Courts will pause eviction for non-payment of rent cases where a tenant has a pending application for emergency rental assistance.
  • Housing Courts, District Courts, and Boston Municipal Courts (BMC) will continue to conduct summary process hearings in tiers.  
    • The 1st tier is designated for mediation. Tenants who do not appear at the first tier will receive a default.  
    • If there is no resolution at the 1st tier, notice of a 2nd tier date – a trial – will be sent to the tenant and landlord. Importantly, Rule 7 of the MA Uniform Rules on Dispute Resolution provides that tenants participating in court-connected mediation have the right to have an attorney, advocate, or other adviser present. Care team members can encourage individuals facing eviction to consult with an attorney prior to entering into any agreements with a landlord. More information on tenant’s rights and available remedies here.    
  • Parties to Housing Court cases can sign up online for text message reminders of upcoming court events.
  • Boston’s Office of Housing Stability hosts virtual legal clinics for tenants and small landlords. The clinics aim to provide community members with eviction defense information and assistance. Tenants and small landlords can complete a multilingual form and register for the clinic.   
  • People with court cases relating to housing who do not have a lawyer may contact the Housing Court Virtual Front Counter or visit Housing Court Resources to confirm case scheduling and deadlines.  
  • City Life/Vida Urbana assists renters who are facing evictions. They can be reached at 617-524-3541 (English and Spanish). The National Housing Law Project (NHLP) has created an Eviction Prevention Tool for advocates working with public housing and voucher tenants.  
  • When tenants are evicted, they often have questions about what happens to their belongings. This helpful resource from MassLegalHelp.org provides information about tenants’ rights before and after their property is moved out of an apartment following eviction.
  • Mass Legal Help has an updated resource on legal tactics for people facing eviction from housing or shelter.  

Vouchers and rental assistance

  • The Common Housing Application for subsidized housing in Massachusetts, and general information about the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), is here.
  • A guide with detailed information about Rent In Public Housing is available on MassLegalHelp. It is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
  • Individuals and families seeking financial rental assistance can apply for RAFT: (1) Households applying for assistance with rent arrears must have received a notice to quit or eviction notice/court summons; (2) the RAFT benefit cap is $7,000 within a 12-month period.
  • The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) has issued a Housing Assistance Application Reference Guide to help tenants (or tenants with help from an advocate) to apply for RAFT through the EOHLC Housing Help Hub.

Housing discrimination

  • Housing discrimination – including eviction or refusal to rent – based on national origin or race, age, gender, disability or the perception that one has a disability, is illegal. If discrimination is experienced for these or other reasons, one option is to file a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) telephonically or online.  
  • State law prohibits landlords from discriminating against people based on their source of income, including housing vouchers. The Fair Housing Alliance of Massachusetts has partnered with the EOHLC to fight illegal voucher-based and other forms of housing discrimination against renters.
  • Learn about disputing errors on your tenant background check report.
  • MCAD, Northeastern University and the City of Boston have issued a resource for the LGBTQIA2S+ community on navigating discrimination in MA.

Bad housing conditions

  • The Massachusetts State Sanitary Code enforced by the Department of Public Health provides regulations for healthy living conditions. Landlords are required to comply with the Housing Code. 
  • GetUpToCode is a website for Massachusetts tenants to help them learn about and enforce their rights for healthy living conditions.
  • Renters can contact their local Board of Health when their landlord has not addressed an unsanitary or unsafe condition. Read more about what renters can do about repairs and bad housing conditions here.  
  • This website lists the 242 Massachusetts housing authorities with links to available websites. 

Homelessness and shelter

  • Emergency shelter (EA shelter) is available to Massachusetts families experiencing homelessness. The eligibility rules and programs available have been changing rapidly. As of December 10, EA shelter is available in two tiers.
    • One tier is the “Rapid Shelter Track.” For families eligible for this assistance, they will have access to emergency shelter for 30 days.
    • The other tier is the “Bridge Shelter Track” which provides up to 6 months of shelter (reduced from the previous 9 months of shelter). Hardship waivers may be available for certain families: high risk pregnancy or child under 6, imminent risk of harm due to domestic violence, veterans, family members who have a disability, families with imminent pending placement in housing (within 30 days).
    • Families who are in Rapid Shelter will not be eligible for Bridge Shelter.
    • All members of family 18 or older must disclose any criminal convictions or pending charges for “serious crimes.” The state must also obtain criminal records for each applicant before placing them into emergency housing.
    • Presumptive eligibility has been eliminated: before any placement, families must prove they are eligible for shelter and have lawful status in the United States.
      • This includes verifying their identity and residency; proving parent/caretaker identity and relationship to children.
      • Exception for emergency situations: family has imminent risk of DV, documented disabilities in the family, has a veteran in the family, has a family member with high risk pregnancy or recently gave birth.
  • It is important that care teams have tools to help families find shelter today. Local offices are open for in-person appointments on weekdays. You can also call the statewide Emergency Family Shelter Contact Line at (866) 584-0653 on weekdays. When the statewide hotline is unreachable, move up the chain of command until an applicant gets a shelter placement or an official denial letter. Whenever possible use email or keep a phone log to ensure there is a record of your efforts.  
    • Call the Emergency Family Shelter Contact Line at (866) 584-0653 to speak with a Homeless Coordinator  
    • Call the Homeless Coordinators at your local EOHLC Field Office   
    • Call the Supervisor at your local EOHLC Field Office  
    • Call the Assistant Director of Field Operations for your Region.  
      • Boston:  (857-260-5830) Katherine Lopez  or (857 505-4233) Daniel Dessin 
      • Southeast: (857-260-7952) Kate Morrison  
      • Northeast: (857-286-4925) Andrew McComish 
      • Central/Western: (413-265-9821) Penny Trigilio 
    • Call (857-270-1150) Ezequiel Lopes, Deputy Director of Field Operations  
    • Call (413-276-5562) Bonnie Caldwell, Deputy Director of Field Operations    
  • Families may receive HomeBASE benefits to help stabilize housing-related needs. 

Landlords

Homeowners

  • Homeowners can apply for mortgage payment assistance through the RAFT program.   
  • Qualifying homeowners can receive reimbursement for lead paint remediation through the HUD-funded Lead Hazard and Healthy Homes Program.
  • Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) (also known as in-law apartments) will be easier to build, by right, starting in February 2025. This new provision in state law will let property owners where zoned for single family homes build a second unit up to 900 square feet either attached or free-standing.

Foreclosure

  • The Attorney General’s office has information on preventing foreclosure to help people in Massachusetts who are struggling to pay their mortgages.
  • Read about protections for VA-backed mortgages on the VA website.

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