Pilot rental-assistance program used $120,000 to stabilize 30 households; committee to seek grants for continuation

Staff reported results from a pilot rental-assistance program launched in late December and administered under contract with MetroWest Collaborative Development. The pilot offered two forms of help: stabilization (one-time grants to address an immediate rent shortfall) and rent mitigation (up to $500/month for four months to offset rent increases)—no rent-mitigation requests were made during the pilot.

Over the pilot the program awarded 30 stabilization grants totaling $120,000, with an average award of about $4,000 per household. Program data presented by staff showed that roughly 32 percent of households exceeded the rent-burden benchmark of 30 percent of income at the 80% AMI threshold; 36 percent of households identified as non‑White; 17 households were single-person households; 13 households included children; and 46 percent of the households included someone aged 55 or older. In several cases applicants reported income loss, health issues or pending eviction notices as drivers of need.

Committee members noted the pilot exhausted available funds in approximately three months, raising concerns the town’s modest initial allocation did not meet ongoing demand. Staff and members recommended pursuing grant opportunities and partner agencies capable of scaling both revenue and administration (for example MetroWest Collaborative Development, MHP, CHAPA, MetroWest Housing Alliance) rather than drawing down core trust funds that are intended primarily for new housing production. The working group and staff will evaluate eligibility rules, partner capacity and potential grant targets to support a larger or ongoing program.