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Family Shelter Eligibility Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about Shelter for Families with Children

When Families are Denied Shelter

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Types of Shelter

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Myth Vs. Reality

Overview of Individual Homelessness

Overview of Family Homelessness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eligibility Requirements for Emergency Assistance Family Shelter

Step 1: Families must meet categorical eligibility

  • families with children under age of 21 years
  • pregnant women
  • at least one family member (parent or child) must be a citizen or lawful resident

Step 2: Families must meet financial eligibility.

  • family’s gross income must be within 130% of the federal poverty level
    (approximately $2,166 per month/ $26,000 per year for a family of four)
  • family can not have more than $2,500 in countable assets
  • equity value of a vehicle must be $5,000 or less ($7,500 or less if the there are no other countable assets).

Step 3: Families must prove that they cannot stay in their current housing because of one of the following reasons:

 
Verifications Needed
Natural disaster Verification of inhabitability by Red Cross, fire or police departments.
Eviction or foreclosure Judgment for possession / foreclosure; no placement in shelter until day of actual execution.
Threat to health and safety

Proof of severe & uncorrected violations of state sanitary code, verified by Board of Health or code enforcement agency.
Proof of overcrowding under state sanitary code as verified by Board of Health.
Proof of immediate threat to health and safety as assessed and verified by DTA or Housing Assistance Provider.
Mistreatment or abuse Written statement from agency worker providing services to the family or a signed statement by recipient describing the nature of mistreatment or abuse.
Serious medical condition Signed statement from medical authority outlining nature of medical condition and need for family to move for medical reasons.

Step 4: Families must prove that they have nowhere else to stay.
• DTA asks families for the names of relatives and friends in Massachusetts and checks with these people to see if they can put up the family.
• Families are only placed in shelter if DTA verifies that there is nowhere else for the family to stay.

Families who meet ALL these requirements can still be denied shelter.

Click Here to Learn Why
 
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