Open Solicitation: Project-Based Vouchers Available – Owners must commit to serving families exiting the Emergency Assistance (EA) family shelter program

New Lease is acting as an intermediary for the Executive Office of Housing & Livable
Communities (EOHLC) to place up to 200 project-based Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) or
state vouchers (MRVPs) with rental property owners with units ready to lease to families exiting
EA shelter.
New Lease encourages interested owners to apply through an emailed expression of interest
to email info@newleasehousing.org : This email should address program parameters below, as well as noting if the
property currently has a HAP contract for any PBV HCV units with EOHLC or one of its regional
administering agencies.
Applications are open and rolling until New Lease receives qualified commitments for 200
units or until EOHLC ends the program, whichever comes first.
Program Parameters:
Owners may request HCVP or MRVP vouchers, or a combination thereof, subject to availability.
Voucher payment limits applicable at initial occupancy:
 MRVP vouchers will pay contract rents UP TO 110% of the higher of large area or small
area Fair Market Rents (LAFMR/SAFMR)
 HCVP vouchers will pay contract rents UP TO 120% of the higher of LAFMR or SAFMR
 For both programs, rent reasonableness standards apply; the programs will only pay
contract rents comparable with similar unassisted apartments in the same markets
 Following initial lease-up, owners may seek contract rent increases per regular
HCVP/MRVP program policies
 EOHLC will, for initial lease-up following award, allow up to the value of one month’s
contract rent of vacancy payments if occupancy of a unit is delayed due to delays in
selecting and screening an eligible shelter family or other program requirements. These
payments will be funded through HomeBASE.
Requirements for Owners
Each property owner will be expected to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with New
Lease outlining the number of units they are committing, which of their developments will
participate, and agreeing to work with New Lease and service provider partners to best support
the families exiting EA to establish and maintain stable tenancies.
Owners must commit to reserving the units supported by these rental vouchers for occupancy
by families referred by New Lease. Owners will still be able to screen families for tenancy using
the criteria in their tenant selection plans, though must take into consideration all available

Solicitation for New Lease Website

mitigation provided through New Lease or the voucher rental subsidy to address issues such as
poor prior landlord history, prior evictions, or poor credit scores. Owners must also comply with
all requirements of EOHLC’s HCV Program and/or MRVP, as applicable. At the time of HAP/VPC
contract execution, least 25% of the units must be ready for occupancy.

New Lease will prioritize applications where owner commits:

o Units in excellent physical condition, near schools, parks and public
transportation
o Units meeting regional needs, based on rental vacancy rates, EA shelter
population home communities, and units matching need of shelter families
(mostly appropriate number of bedrooms)
o Units in properties whose owners have experience working with EOHLC and/or
EA shelter families
o Units appropriate for EA shelter families, generally two bedrooms or more
o at least 5 units currently vacant and ready for occupancy or vacant and ready for
occupancy within six months based on turnover rates; at least 25% of units
offered must be currently ready for occupancy.

Note that owners must comply, as applicable, with federal requirements for HCVP PBVs if
electing to take on HCVs, including an initial environmental review and generally biennial
inspections of individual units.
Please Contact info@newleasehousing.org with any questions.


MBHP Honors New Lease Owners in Boston

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Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership recognizes the work of several of our fantastic New Lease property owners for their collaboration in providing safe, stable homes for families.  Congratulations to Beacon Communities LLC, Winncompanies, Preservation of Affordable Housing, The Community Builders, Peabody Properties, Inc., Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation, Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corp, and Urban Edge. 

 



Exec. Director Tom Plihcik’s Guest Article in POAH’s Newsletter

Our Executive Director, Tom Plihcik was featured in the Preservation of Affordable Housing’s (POAH) Spring newsletter where he wrote a guest article on New Lease’s work. Thank you to POAH for dedicating your time and resources to New Lease’s effort to combat family homelessness in Massachusetts.  Click here to read the article!


Best Practice Sharing w/ HUD’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of Multifamily Housing, Ben Metcalf

Last week, Last week, New Lease had the honor of spending the day with Ben Metcalf, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Multifamily Housing and his team from HUD. We shared best practices through a lens of assisting communities across the nation to replicate our approach to reducing homelessness. Many of our partners were present for various discussions throughout the day.  Rich conversations brought to light New Lease’s successes, challenges, and growth strategies as we continue to forge our way.  Thank you to everyone who participated.

Ben Metcalf Group Pic Georgetowne 3.15

 


Property Manager Testimonial

Today a property manager reached out to us to express her enthusiasm for participating in the New Lease program.

“Today we moved in another New Lease family. She was very happy with the unit; it was so emotional she cried. I am honored to work with such a great program that helps families out of homelessness. This makes my job totally worthwhile.” – Participating New Lease Property Manager

Affordable Housing Owners- find out how you can join the movement to reduce family homelessness in Massachusetts!https://www.newleasehousing.org/property-owners-join-us/


Over 100 Families Live in New Lease Homes

Irian let New Lease join as she opened the door to her new home for the first time! We were honored to be present for such a momentous occasion.  Irian and over 100 other homeless families have lifted themselves out of homelessness into safe, affordable homes through New Lease. Thank you to everyone who works with us to accomplish our mission of reducing family homelessness in Massachusetts.

Irian unlocking door Beacon GT, shot of face edited 1.15


Units Magazine Features New Lease

“There are people out there with normal paychecks who are homeless because of the current housing market…It is crazy this can exist in Boston. It’s unacceptable in a city of such wealth.”- Larry Curtis from Winn Management Company

See New Lease featured in Units Magazine! Thank you to our Board Member Larry for participating in the article. (Click on Link, scroll to p. 39 for New Lease).

http://www.naahq.org/sites/default/files/naa-documents/publications-units/dec-units-14/New-Lease-On-Life.pdf