To be fully eligible, DHCD needs:
- The basic documents for “presumptive placement.”
- Proof of your family’s income and legal status in the U.S. for one family member.
- You also have to show that you are homeless for the right reason. You may be eligible if you are homeless because of:
- Domestic violence
- A fire, flood or natural disaster
- An eviction that was not your fault, or because
- You have been staying in a very unsafe housing situation, a car, or other unfit place.
If you give DHCD documents that show you are homeless for one of the reasons below, they should find you “fully eligible” and place you in shelter.
| If you are homeless because of… |
Examples of documents that prove it |
| 1. Significant health and safety risk where you are staying now |
- Letter or pictures that show your family stayed in a place not meant for human habitation, like a car, emergency room, or bus station.
- Letters that show your family stayed in many different people’s homes in the past few weeks.
- Letters, pictures, or medical documents that show violence, substance abuse, or mental illness where you were living.
|
| 2. Fire, flood or natural disaster |
- Letter from Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Red Cross, local fire or police department, insurance company, former landlord.
|
| 3. Domestic violence |
- Letter from a domestic violence advocate, social service agency or medical provider on letterhead.
- Police report, restraining order or documents that show you tried to get a restraining order.
- Medical report of injuries.
- Statement from a “reliable” witness, someone DHCD believes is telling the truth.
|
| 4. You were evicted from your last apartment for no fault, or for nonpayment of rent because you lost income, or because of a disability or medical condition |
- Court order of eviction.
- Notice to quit.
- Agreement for judgment.
- Proof of a loss of income in past 12 months.
- Letter from a doctor or mental health professional stating that your nonpayment was due to a disability.
|
| What you need to prove |
For whom |
Examples of documents that prove it |
| Citizenship |
Any one person in the family |
US birth certificate; certificate of naturalization or citizenship |
| Legally present non-citizen |
Any one person in the family |
Immigration documents showing lawful presence |
| What you need to prove |
For whom |
Examples of documents that prove it |
| Earned income |
All family members seeking shelter |
- Last 4 weeks’ pay stubs, or letter from employer on company letterhead about what he expects to pay you
- For self-employment, IRS filings and proof of business expenses
|
| Unearned income (TAFDC, EAEDC, SSI, Unemployment) |
All family members seeking shelter |
- Letter from government agency stating benefit and amount
- Copy of a payment check or deposit
|
| Reason lost job within past 90 days |
Any adult who lost job in past 90 days |
- Layoff notice
- Dismissal letter
- Unemployment registration
- Proof of unemployment claim status
- Letter from former employer, medical provider or other reliable source explaining why you lost your job
|
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