Affordable housing has reduced rent based on the area median income (AMI) or is calculated as a percentage of your income. Tenants are selected either via lottery in which names are randomly pulled, or first-come, first-serve. Vouchers are used to offset the cost of rent, by only requiring you to pay usually 30-40% of your household income toward rent. Vouchers can be used in both market-rate and affordable housing, deepening the affordability of both housing types. Both forms of housing subsidies have income limits, which vary depending on the program. 

Questions? Contact the Housing & Land Use Planner

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 Affordable Rental Housing in Westwood

To learn more about affordable units at these privately held developments, please contact each development directly for the most current information.

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 Affordable Rental Housing for Seniors in Westwood

Adults with disabilities may qualify for senior housing. Contact property management of each community to learn more. 

Vouchers

Voucher pay the difference between 30% of your income and the rent amount up to the Fair Market Rate, or payment standard, directly to the landlord/property owner. If the rent exceeds the FMR - which can happen if used in market rate housing, your voucher administering agency will want to confirm your contribution does not exceed 40% of your household income. 

Eligibility

Vouchers are available to households earning 80% AMI or less. If you're unsure if you qualify, still apply. You will be notified if you are not eligible. 

Where can I use my mobile voucher?

Most housing vouchers can be used in any rental housing. However, your voucher will often only pay up to a specific payment standard, or Fair Market Rent (FMR), established by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). If you opt to lease a market rate unit that exceeds the payment standard, your voucher case manager may want to verify that you can afford the difference between the payment standard and market rate rent and ensure that the tenant share does not exceed 40% of your monthly income. 

Voucher Programs

Section 8 Vouchers (Federal)

Section 8 - or Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) - vouchers allow households to pay 30% of their monthly income toward rent. 

MRVP Vouchers (MA)

The Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) offers mobile and project-based vouchers that allow Massachusetts residents earning 80% AMI or less to pay only 30% of their monthly income toward rent. 

• Mobile MRVP vouchers do not help with utility costs, unlike Section 8. 
• Mobile voucher recipients are given 180 days to find suitable housing in MA.
• MRVP FAQs

Application Tips
You are not required to upload documentation with your initial application. These will be requested later. Once your profile is complete, it will give you the option to apply to programs of interest. Since Westwood does not administer vouchers, it will not show up as an option. For mobile vouchers, it does not matter what housing agency/authority administers your voucher as long as you live in MA. CHAMP was updated in late 2024 so that applicants will automatically be added to the waitlist of all administering agencies when applying for a mobile voucher.

Checking Application Status
Check your application status by logging in to CHAMP. Neither the Town of Westwood nor the Westwood Housing Authority has access to waitlists. However, the Housing & Land Use Planner can assist by logging into your account with you if needed. 

Priority Screening
The current average waitlist period is 5-10 years. However, priority is given to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness if it is due to:

• 1.Fire or natural disaster
• 2. Urban renewal
• 3. State sanitary and other code violations 
• 4a. No fault loss of housing
• 4b. Severe medical emergency
• 4c. Abusive situation

Answer questions carefully and thoroughly. The more information provided, the better the program can understand if you potentially have priority. If the system flags a potential priority, you will be emailed and/or mailed priority screening paperwork that must be completed within a specified period of time. The purpose is to verify if the information provided in the application. It is necessary to complete this paperwork on time, otherwise the applicant will lose the opportunity for priority. 

AHVP Vouchers (MA)

The Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP) offers a mobile voucher designed to help Massachusetts residents with disabilities under age 60 and earning 80% AMI or less live independently in housing of their choice by only paying 25-40% of your monthly income toward rent. If you already receive an AHVP voucher and turn 60, you can keep your voucher.

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Statewide Affordable Rental Housing

Expand your search to the surrounding region at:

• HousingNavigatorMA.org 
• MassHousing.com 
• AffordableHousing.com 
• Boston.gov/Metrolist 
• Search.AffordableHousingHub.org/MA 
• HousingLink.org 
• SEBHousing.com
• MaloneyAffordable.com

Current Lotteries

• Needham: One Wingate East - Please note the entrance fee. 

Public Housing

Households that earn no more than 80% AMI are eligible for public housing, with the lowest earners receiving priority. Westwood does not have any public housing at this time, but Westwood residents may qualify for local preference in Dedham Housing Authority public housing. The information below applies to all public housing in MA, as Westwood residents are not limited to Dedham Housing Authority. The main difference between public affordable housing and private affordable housing is that the former is publicly managed by the federal, state, or local government. 

• Apply online at CHAMP at mass.gov/CHAMP or in-person at the Dedham Housing Authority.
• Review public housing resources from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC).   

dedhamhousing.org
26 O'Neil Drive
Dedham, MA 02026
781-329-5380