July 1, 2020 - June 30,2021
BY THE NUMBERS
FY 21 BY THE NUMBERS
SPECIALIZED INTENSIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES (SIPS)
Specialized Intensive Programs & Services start with a comprehensive assessment of need and continue with supports that range from assistance with navigating service systems to gaining access to mental health, medical and/or substance use resources. It also incorporates practical hands-on help with daily living, as well as financial and legal advocacy. The intensive, personalized, and at-home focus is pivotal in engaging clients and stabilizing them in their homes and communities.
In FY21:
186 families
and Individuals served
1,671
Contacts conducted
95 percent
of Households stabilized or placed in new housing
In FY21:
10,991 households
Received rental assistance through Metro Housing, which included:
8,253 federal vouchers
via federally funded rental assistance, such as Housing Choice Voucher Program
2,738 state vouchers
via the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program
LEASED HOUSING
Rental assistance programs help make rent affordable by subsidizing a portion of a household’s rent with the household paying the remainder, called their “rent share.” Metro Housing administers a number of rental assistance programs under contract with various government agencies. The HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM, commonly known as Section 8, is a federally funded program for assisting very low-income families, elders, and people with disabilities to afford decent and safe housing. The MASSACHUSETTS RENTAL VOUCHER PROGRAM is a similar program funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
COLOCATIONS
Metro Housing partners with local organizations and uses their expertise to supply vital housing support services to residents who have low and moderate incomes. Through these collaborations with community organizations, residents access multiple services convenient to where they live, in familiar locations that are physically and culturally accessible. The colocation sites are possible in part through the generous support of Bank of America.
In FY21:
7 colocation sites
Served
1,091 famiies
In FY21:
$63 million
in Total Funds distributed
$6,603
Average benefit received
10,251 families
and Individuals supported
RAFT+
The state-funded RAFT program is a homelessness prevention program for households with very low incomes experiencing a housing crisis. Traditionally, eligible households applied for up to $4,000 in emergency assistance over 12 months to retain existing housing, obtain new housing, or otherwise avoid becoming homeless. With the pandemic, RAFT funding was supplemented with two other emergency housing payment assistance programs - ERMA (Emergency Rent and Mortgage Assistance) and ERAP (Emergency Rent Assistance Program) – as well as multiple municipality-specific options.
ACO (ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATION) FLEX SERVICES
Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) are provider led health plans that hold participating providers financially accountable for both cost and quality of care for members.
Metro Housing’s ACO Flex Services provide high-touch, wraparound case management services to Greater Boston’s most vulnerable residents, with no time-based limitations on program participation. The program works from a commitment to “Housing First,” a strategy that recognizes housing stability as a necessary platform from which to build better health, financial stability, and overall well-being.
Our case managers counter the isolation, loneliness, and despair that characterize many of our participants’ lives with compassion, respect, and a participant-centered approach to providing services.
In FY21:
429 families and individuals served
Of those:
297 participants
Were at risk of being homeless
174 participants
Continue to be stably housed
In FY21, Metro Housing provided:
312 families
with
12 months of stabilization services
To ease their transition to permanent housing
HOMEBASE
HomeBASE is a program of the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development designed to reduce the need for motels and shelters. The goal is to assist families who are facing homelessness to find alternative solutions to entering shelter and/or motels.
FAMILY SELF SUFFICIENCY
Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) is a voluntary program designed to help families achieve increased economic self-sufficiency over a five-year period. It is jointly managed by Metro Housing and Compass Working Capital.
In FY21 FSS Distributed:
$443,590
in escrow savings
​TO
99 participants
In FY21, Metro Housing's HCEC responded to:
11,757 housing inquiries
and Conducted:
20,883
Counseling sessions
19,844
Information sessions
HOUSING CONSUMER EDUCATION CENTER (HCEC)
Metro Housing serves as the HCEC for Greater Boston. Funded by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, it is one of nine HCECs located throughout the state. Free and open to the public, HCECs educate and assist tenants and property owners and respond to constituent issues reported
by elected officials. HCEC provides workshops and trainings for tenants and service providers on topics such as affordable housing basics and landlord relationships, and housing search strategies.
HOME MODIFICATION LOAN PROGRAM
The Home Modification Loan Program is an innovative state lending program that helps qualifying participants finance home modifications. It assists seniors, individuals, and families with children with disabilities to finance the cost of renovations to their primary residence, allowing individuals to remain at home.
In FY21, Metro Housing made homes safer by:
Closing
22 home modification loans
Valued at:
$853,000
To help elders and people with disabilities stay in their homes.
In FY21:
54 families
Participated in the program
$75,018
Held in rent escrow
$39,633
Held in savings escrow
FAMILY ECONOMIC SECURITY
Family Economic Stability (FES) is a five-year, flat-subsidy rental assistance program designed to help families reach economic stability through intensive case management and support.
FAIR HOUSING
Metro Housing has committed to equal opportunity and access to housing for all by incorporating fair housing principles into its services. We provide trainings to tenants, service providers, and property owners regarding their rights and responsibilities under the federal Fair Housing Act of 1988 and the state fair housing law. Staff members also provide technical assistance on fair housing and refer clients to other related services in Greater Boston.