South Shore Housing programs.
Numerous housing programs are administered by South Shore Housing. Residents, people facing eviction, and the homeless in Bristol and Plymouth County Massachusetts may be able to receive help from the agency.
One of the key rental assistance and homeless prevention resources available is RAFT, or the Residential Aid to Families in Transition. This particular resource is administered at the office by the Housing Consumer Education (HCEC) team. Assistance for paying rent is available for families with children under the age of 21. Funds can help these families make it through a crisis. Or if they are homeless, then assistance may be available for paying security deposits, first months rent and otherwise helping the resident move into a new home.
The demand for housing support is very high and funds are limited. Therefore all applications for any type of rent assistance will be processed based on the families income levels, their need, and based upon how successful the program would be for the client.
Those that are homeless and moving into subsidized or private housing may be able to qualify. Another focus is on people that are at risk of becoming homeless due to a increase in expenses or specific reduction of income.
When money is available, the use of RAFT funds includes rent arrearages, help for paying a mortgage, eviction prevention, and more. Any type of rental assistance provided by South Shore Housing will be in the form of a monthly stipend. This can be used for utility arrearages, security deposits, furniture, first/last months rent, and even any employment-related transportation costs. Another objective is to help families find or maintain employment in Bristol County or Plymouth. When funding is issued, it will normally be limited to 12 months.
Those looking to buy a home, or prevent a foreclosure, can also get help from the South Shore Housing Consumer Education Center. The non-profit will offer a wide variety of housing education and counseling services to qualified residents of both Bristol and Plymouth counties Massachusetts.
Among the services offered are first time homebuyer support and homeowner education, foreclosure prevention counseling, financial literacy training, help for predatory lending as well as affordable housing search assistance.
These housing services also include short term, transitional housing services for special needs populations and the disabled. Support is also for homeless families who are victims of domestic violence. Some of the partner organizations are the Scattered Site Transitional Apartment Program as well as the Greater Plymouth Area Supportive Housing Program. In addition, clients will also generally be partnered with the Family Self Sufficiency Program. All of this and more provides economic and educational support and guidance to families receiving rental assistance who wish to become more financially and economically self sufficient.
The non-profit also runs the Housing Choice Voucher Program, or Section 8, in the region. This is the largest state of Massachusetts and federally funded rental subsidy program. Funds and grants can assist low income and senior families with paying their rent. The disabled are also a focus.
The demand for vouchers is very high and South Shore Housing will often use a waiting list. Those who are able to enroll will still need to pay a portion of their income towards their monthly rent. In general, it will be about 30% (but no more than 40%) of their monthly income toward their rent and utilities. It is often combined with the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, or FSS.
Case managers from South Shore Housing will work with families, many of them who are enrolled into section 8, and the agency will help them create long and short term goals. This can included a new and better job, increased income, and other social services. The goal is to help people retain their housing over the long term.
Dozens of towns and cities in both Plymouth and Bristol counties can receive help. Not only do they offer rental assistance / RAFT, but South Shore Housing also processes hundreds of state of Massachusetts and also federal government rental subsidies for the elderly, low income families and the disabled.
The towns supported are as follows. If you are seeking information about affordable housing, rental assistance or housing services, please call 781-422-4200.
Abington
Acushnet
Assonet
Attleboro
Berkley
Bridgewater
Brockton
Bryanville
Carver
Cohasset
Dartmouth
Dighton
Duxbury
East Bridgewater
East Freetown
Easton
Fairhaven
Fall River
Freetown
Green Harbor
Greenbush
Halifax
Hanover
Hanson
Hingham
Holbrook
Hull
Humarock
Kingston
Lakeville
Manomet
Mansfield
Marion
Marshfield
Middleborough
Monoponsett
New Bedford
North Attleboro
North Easton
Norton
Norwell
Ocean Bluff
Onset
Pembroke
Plymouth
Plympton
Randolph
Raynham
Rehoboth
Rochester
Rockland
Scituate
Seekonk
Somerset
Swansea
Taunton
Wareham
West Bridgewater
Westport
Weymouth
White Horse Beach
Whitman
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