How long to get into low-income housing (not section 8) (Boston: low income, apartments) - Massachusetts (MA) - City-Data Forum

SoggyFroggy · 02-12-2016, 06:18 PM

Sadly I must move from a part of the country where the cost of living is very low, to an area just south of Boston. This is not a move I want to make, but due to circumstances I don't want to go into, it has become necessary. However, the cost of housing up there seems to be three to five times higher than what it is where I currently live. I will have no choice but to do my best to get into a low-income housing situation, aka Public Housing Authority where rent is about 30% of net income. I have never lived in such a housing situation before and not looking forward to it, but my biggest concern is how long it will take me to get into such a place. It can be anywhere within about 30 miles of the Taunton area. I will fill out applications for every housing authority within about a 30 mile radius. I called one housing authority and they told me one to two years, but I have been reading elsewhere that it is virtually impossible to get in, that I might wait 5 to 10 years. I understand they assign points to move people up and down the waiting list. People who are currently homeless get extra points as do a few other special conditions, none of which apply to me so far as I can tell. Although I am disabled, I am not in a wheelchair and not blind. I have no children. I am only in my 40's. Although I worked full time for 20 years, it was in a part of the country where cost of living and incomes were lower, so my SSDI income will not stretch far enough in Massachusetts unless I can get into low income housing. Even then it is going to be tough. The best I could possibly do would be to temporarily find a very inexpensive room to rent. But even the cheapest single room to rent in someone else's home is going to cost as much as the entire mortgage where I currently reside. Please don't ask why I have to do this. It is personal and not a decision I have made lightly. I just want to know from other people what I can reasonably expect if I do not qualify to have extra points added that would move me up the list faster. I qualify for the elderly/disabled units , but I am not elderly and from what I have read, only about 15% of those units get rented out to people who are disabled under the age of 65. Did your friends or family members wait one year? Five years? Any information you can give that would let me know what I might reasonably expect anywhere south of Boston will be appreciated. It just needs to be within about a 30 mile radius of Taunton, but not so far down as the RI state line. Please be kind. I am already under tremendous stress concerning this major move. Thank you.

massnative71 · 02-12-2016, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoggyFroggy

Sadly I must move from a part of the country where the cost of living is very low, to an area just south of Boston. This is not a move I want to make, but due to circumstances I don't want to go into, it has become necessary. However, the cost of housing up there seems to be three to five times higher than what it is where I currently live. I will have no choice but to do my best to get into a low-income housing situation, aka Public Housing Authority where rent is about 30% of net income. I have never lived in such a housing situation before and not looking forward to it, but my biggest concern is how long it will take me to get into such a place. It can be anywhere within about 30 miles of the Taunton area. I will fill out applications for every housing authority within about a 30 mile radius. I called one housing authority and they told me one to two years, but I have been reading elsewhere that it is virtually impossible to get in, that I might wait 5 to 10 years. I understand they assign points to move people up and down the waiting list. People who are currently homeless get extra points as do a few other special conditions, none of which apply to me so far as I can tell. Although I am disabled, I am not in a wheelchair and not blind. I have no children. I am only in my 40's. Although I worked full time for 20 years, it was in a part of the country where cost of living and incomes were lower, so my SSDI income will not stretch far enough in Massachusetts unless I can get into low income housing. Even then it is going to be tough. The best I could possibly do would be to temporarily find a very inexpensive room to rent. But even the cheapest single room to rent in someone else's home is going to cost as much as the entire mortgage where I currently reside. Please don't ask why I have to do this. It is personal and not a decision I have made lightly. I just want to know from other people what I can reasonably expect if I do not qualify to have extra points added that would move me up the list faster. I qualify for the elderly/disabled units , but I am not elderly and from what I have read, only about 15% of those units get rented out to people who are disabled under the age of 65. Did your friends or family members wait one year? Five years? Any information you can give that would let me know what I might reasonably expect anywhere south of Boston will be appreciated. It just needs to be within about a 30 mile radius of Taunton, but not so far down as the RI state line. Please be kind. I am already under tremendous stress concerning this major move. Thank you.

Check rents in Fall River and New Bedford. I would look in RI as well, it is less than 30 miles to the border. You are probably aware already that you will not be living in a nicer area.

in_newengland · 02-12-2016, 11:42 PM

I think you have to be a resident of the state in order to apply. You should apply in every town that would work for you and keep calling to see how well you are doing to get higher on the list. Maybe they let disabled people in sooner than regular welfare people.

Dm84 · 02-13-2016, 05:01 AM

I know you don't want to tell us why you're moving here but I suggest you reconsider if that's even a remote possibility.

alidmc · 02-13-2016, 05:59 AM

A family member moved into elderly housing in the early 90s and it took her 3 years of waiting. She was on SSDI and blind. Unfortunately, there is just not much low income housing around and the demand is extremely high. I think you have the right idea-apply everywhere.
You will probably have a better chance of getting a spot if you apply to some of the larger cities, like Fall River and New Bedford, as they have more apartments available.

GeoffD · 02-13-2016, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alidmc

A family member moved into elderly housing in the early 90s and it took her 3 years of waiting. She was on SSDI and blind. Unfortunately, there is just not much low income housing around and the demand is extremely high. I think you have the right idea-apply everywhere.
You will probably have a better chance of getting a spot if you apply to some of the larger cities, like Fall River and New Bedford, as they have more apartments available.

Without kids or a disability, there's zero chance of public housing in New Bedford. You'll be dead before you clear the waiting list. The whole eastern half of the state is impacted by the soaring housing costs inside the 495 belt. New Bedford and Fall River are now stuffed full of people displaced from metro-Boston. The big money landlords get for Section 8 vouchers drives up the rent on everything else. A $500/month 1 bedroom apartment will have a scenic view of the hookers and junkies out on the sidewalk unless you know someone or can pay the Realtor fee and pass their screening.