Types of Housing Programs

There are three basic types of government-funded housing in Massachusetts that help make rents more affordable for low- and moderate-income people:

Public housing

Public housing is owned and run by a local housing authority. If you live in public housing, the housing authority is your landlord.

Vouchers

A voucher is rental assistance to help people find an apartment in the private market. This is also called a tenant-based subsidy because the subsidy stays with the tenant, not a particular development.

Multifamily Subsidized Housing

Multifamily subsidized housing is owned by a private landlord or corporation that has received government subsidies to provide affordable housing. This is also called a project-based subsidy because the subsidy stays with the project, not a particular tenant. Often, affordable apartments are in the same development as market-rate apartments.

Within each of these three types of housing, there are many different affordable housing programs—each with its own rules. On the next page is a list of the major rental housing programs in Massachusetts.