DHCD Increases the Administrative Fee for State-Funded Rental Vouchers

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) increased the administrative fee for all state funded voucher programs from $40 to $50 effective February 1, 2020. These voucher programs include the Mass. Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP) and the Dept. of Mental Health Rental Subsidy Program (DMH- RSP). Click here to read DHCD's announcement.

DHCD is responsible for overall administration of the state funded housing voucher programs while the day-to-day operations are handled by local housing authorities (LHAs) and regional administering agencies (RAAs) that administer housing vouchers. DHCD pays administrative fees to the LHAs and administering agencies to cover the costs of operating the program. The agencies and LHAs receive a monthly per-unit fee for units under lease. The LHAs and administering agencies operate the voucher program more effectively with the increased fee. There are currently 112 local housing authorities and 8 regional non-profit housing agencies that administer the MRVP and 24 issuing agencies that administer AHVP vouchers throughout the Commonwealth. 

For reference, the MRVP admin fee was cut from $45 to $15 in FY1992, raised to $25 in FY1997; further raised to $32.50 in FY2006 and further raised to $40 in 2014. 

CHAPA thanks Governor Baker's Administration for the admin fee increase that will help provide better services to households accessing rental vouchers across the Commonwealth.