Source: Hyde Park Bulletin
February 21, 2019
Metro Housing|Boston and Beacon Communities LLC, the owner of Georgetowne Homes, a housing development with 2,249 residents in Hyde Park are working together to assist families who are at risk of losing their housing.
Working in conjunction with Georgetowne’s Resident Service Coordinator, in the past 18 months, more than 100 families have been referred for assistance. Eighty-one percent of the households who received eviction prevention services were able to stay in their homes and are now current on their rent. Only two households have been evicted.
Leveraging Metro Housing’s expertise and access to resources, during the flexible walk-in hours for residents, families can obtain cash assistance as well as counseling to make sure they are receiving all benefits for which they are eligible.
Since the partnership began in July 2017, the team has helped households avoid eviction and become current on their rent. These households received more than $100,000 in payments for rental arrearages as well as fuel assistance, furniture, and general ongoing support. The benefit to the owner has been increased stability, and reduced costs from turnover and evictions such as moving, storage, cleaning, and fees associated with renting a vacant apartment.
“Through our partnership with local organizations and communities such as Georgetowne Homes, families are able to access multiple services without having to leave their neighborhoods,” said Chris Norris, Executive Director, Metro Housing. “The housing services we provide at each of our 15 colocation sites are tailored specifically to the needs of the residents.”
Services that Metro Housing provides at Georgetowne Homes include:
- Emergency cash assistance and housing stability funds such as RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition)
- Payment plan negotiations
- Fuel assistance
- Housing search application assistance for non-subsidized residents
- Recertification process assistance
- Referrals to external agencies for furniture assistance and income maximization (food stamps, social security)
“While the added value of having Metro staff on site working with our residents in person is incalculable, keeping residents housed and avoiding eviction has saved us more than $600,000,” said Jillian Pinola, Assistant Regional Vice President, Beacon Communities. “The partnership with Metro Housing has worked out great for both our residents at Georgetowne Homes and for Beacon Communities.”