Housing Access Assistance

Like many cities, Boston is in the midst of a housing crisis. With pressures like the continuing pandemic, support around rental relief, utility relief, and other housing access resources have become more important than ever. Review the Massachusetts and Boston-based resources below, and reach out to the REEF support center for further assistance.

Emergency Housing

If you find yourself in need of emergency housing, please connect with the REEF Support Center so that they can support you during their regular business hours. For after-hours, please contact Boston 311 by phone.

• List of Young Adult Emergency Housing Options & Supports (ages 24 and under) —Find emergency housing options & support in the Metro Boston area and beyond.

Housing Assistance Programs:

• Rental Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) and Homeowners Assistance Fund (HAF) — RAFT and HAF provide short-term financial assistance to low-income families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. They can help with costs such as utilities and rent.
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) — Known as Fuel Assistance, LIHEAP provides eligible households with help in paying a portion of winter heating bills.
• Boston Community Choice Electricity (BCCE) — Boston Community Choice Electricity (BCCE) is a municipal aggregation program that provides electricity at bargained costs. Municipal aggregation is the process by which a municipality (meaning a town or city) purchases electricity in bulk from a competitive supplier on behalf of the residents and businesses within the community.
• City of Boston Rental Relief Fund — The city of Boston will provide rental assistance for eligible people within the city of Boston. Fill out the application online to see your eligibility.

Boston Housing Offices/Organizations:

• Boston Office of Housing Stability — Contact at 617-635-4200 (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) for assistance surrounding safe and stable housing. For help outside these hours, please contact Boston 311. You can dial 3-1-1 or call 617-635-4500.
• City Life/Vida Urbana — City Life is a housing justice organization located in Jamaica Plain, Boston. They offer an eviction emergency hotline, mutual aid resources, tenants rights, as well as other housing-related resources.
• Metro Housing Boston — Mobilizes resources to provide services that lead families and individuals to housing stability, economic security, and improved quality of life.

Boston Planning and Developing Agency

Through the City of Boston and the Boston Planning and Developing Agency (BPDA) Inclusionary Development program, developers create income restricted/affordable units without the help of public subsidies. Both rental and homeownership units are created, for a range of incomes. You can begin by reading the Frequently Asked Questions and sign up to be notified of new properties on the BPDA website. Additionally, call 617-918-4306 for more information.

To learn about affordable housing options and qualification requirements, visit How to Obtain Housing Assistance. You can also join lotteries for affordable housing units which are constantly being updated.