Housing Programs

 

Housing for People with Special Needs

689 Special Needs Housing -  BHA owns and partners with supportive housing properties in 5 separate locations which are managed and tenanted by the Massachusetts Dept. of Developmental Services and/or the Massachusetts Dept. of Mental Health.

The BHA currently provides 52 units of housing under Chapter 689, Housing for People with Special Needs.

This program provides housing for the physically and mentally disabled. Programs are administered jointly with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services which provides support services. The State grants funds for new construction and/or the acquisition of existing buildings or adaptive reuse of non-residential sites. Both transitional and permanent housing are eligible for grants under this title.

Family Low-Income Housing

The BHA currently provides 52 units of housing under Chapter 705, the Family Low-Income Housing Program.  Our stock consists of 2, 3, and 4 bedroom homes scattered throughout the Town of Barnstable.  Each 705 family pays for their own utilities, maintains their yard (mowing and raking), and shovels snow when necessary.

This program is designed to assist local housing authorities with developing family units on scattered sites throughout the town. The funds are allocated for new construction, adaptive reuse, and for purchase of units. 

HUD Elderly/Handicapped Housing

Colony House is a federally subsidized development with sixty eight 1 bedroom apartments for income eligible elderly and disabled adults.

Residents pay 30% of their income for rent which includes heat. Each tenant pays for their own electricity with a built-in utility credit allowance. 

Elderly Low-Income Housing Program

The BHA currently administers 155 units of housing under Chapter 667, the Elderly Low-Income Housing Program.

This program provides State grants to local housing authorities to develop housing for lower income elderly residents for new construction, purchase of existing apartments or condominiums, or major rehabilitation of existing buildings. Grants are also available for the development of congregate housing for older persons who require supportive services to maintain their independence or for those who prefer a shared living environment.

Housing Assistance Programs

The Barnstable Housing Authority administers several State and Federal rental assistance programs including Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP), Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8 HCV), and Disabled Individual Alternative Living (DIAL).

MRVP income limits are based on 200% of the Federal Poverty level adjusted for household size. 

For more information on State or Federal voucher programs, please contact Jenifer Callahan or Brooke Pena at
(508) 771-7222.

Rental Acquisition Program

The RAP program was developed to preserve affordable rental stock in the Town of Barnstable. Numerous condo units and several single family houses have been purchased under RAP and are fully occupied. The BHA worked with the Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank on these projects.

In August of 2000 the BHA purchased a former rooming house known as Aunt Sarah’s Harbor View House and received a Comprehensive Permit through the Town of Barnstable to renovate the property into 12 permanently affordable rental units which can house a maximum of 15 individuals. The BHA secured a construction loan from Compass Bank for renovation of the property, with the final financing being funded by a Perm Plus loan through Mass Housing Partnership.  

In September of 2000, the BHA purchased 71 Pleasant Street, Hyannis, a 9-unit building which formally housed an alcohol treatment facility serviced by Gosnold.

Winter Street

The Cape Ministry (formerly Cape AIDS Ministry), obtained grant money through HUD to fund housing for income eligible families living with a disability at the Winter Street Project in Hyannis.  The Barnstable Housing Authority (BHA) is managing agent for this property.

The development consists of two 4 unit apartment buildings located next to each other. Each apartment has 2 bedrooms, a full kitchen, living room and bath.  There is also a semi handicapped accessible studio unit on the first floor of the community building.  There are coin-operated laundry facilities on site.

Rent is based upon income.