HRA owns and manages 27 units of state-assisted public housing for income-eligible families in multiple Franklin County towns including Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Northfield and Orange.

Program Description

Households living in state-aided family housing pay 30% of household income for rent. The Department of Housing and Community Development provides subsidy funds to HRA to cover maintenance and operating costs of the housing facilities.

Eligibility

Families whose household income is within the established limits are eligible for state-aided family housing.

Families

To be considered for family housing, the household must have a minimum of two members and require at least two bedrooms.

Income

Income limits for state-aided family housing are set at 80% of the median area income. The income limits are revised periodically. The current income limits are:

Household Size Max. net income

Further Screening

Once it is determined that a household meets the basic family status and income requirements, applicants are further screened according to regulations set by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development to confirm eligibility for state-aided housing. As part of the application process, applicants must authorize HRA to conduct thorough background checks including criminal history (including a sex offender record information check), rental history, credit history and personal references.

Priorities and Preferences

Once the application is completed and processed, applicants are selected in chronological order by date of application. However, preference is given to: veterans of the United States Armed Services, racial minorities and applicants who reside in the town in which the housing facility is located. Priority may be given if the applicant is homeless through no fault of his or her own.

Current Waitlist Length

Waiting times vary greatly depending on unit turnover and priority applications. The current average wait time for state-aided family housing through HRA is two years.

How to Apply

To apply for state-aided family housing you will need to fill out the Department of Housing and Community Development Universal Application. Please contact HRA at (413) 863-9781 and request an application or stop by the office at 42 Canal Road in Turners Falls to pick one up.

Completed applications should be mailed to:

Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority
ATTN: Tammy Greene
42 Canal Road
Turners Falls, MA 01376

For further information, please contact Tammy at (413) 863-9781 X142.

Family Housing in Franklin County

All properties owned or managed by HRA are non-smoking properties. State-aided family housing units range in size from 2 to 4 bedrooms with laundry hook-ups in each unit, some yard space, and parking. Each home is located within reasonable proximity to stores, transportation, places of worship and other public facilities. A 24-hour emergency on-call property management and maintenance service number is also available.

• Charlemont Massachusetts: two 2-bedroom units and one 4-bedroom unit
• Bernardston Massachusetts: two 3-bedroom units
• Buckland Massachusetts: two 2-bedroom units and one 4-bedroom unit
• Northfield Massachusetts: two 2-bedroom units , one of which is barrier-free, and two 3-bedroom units
• Orange Massachusetts: eleven 3-bedroom units, two 2-bedroom units, two 4-bedroom units in buildings at four locations.