Rental Assistance for Salem Residents

Eviction diversion resources for Salem tenants
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The Essex County Bar Association offers free lawyer referral service and 30 minute consultation. Click here (https://www.essexcountybar.org/lawyer-referral-service#lrsform) for their online referral form or call them at: (978) 741-7888.

Rental Assistance Resources: START, RAFT, and ERMA

- The City of Salem's local rental relief program, START, offers two $500 rental assistance checks to income eligible households that have been impacted by COVID-19. The program is administered by North Shore Community Action Programs (NSCAP). Contact NSCAP at (978) 548-5776 or email NSCAP at funds2020@nscap.org to apply or ask questions. For more information, visit www.salem.com/start.

- The Rental Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) Fund helps keep income eligible households in stable housing situations when facing eviction, foreclosure, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies caused by loss of income, increase in expenses, or both. RAFT helps all kinds of households by providing up to $10,000 per household to help preserve current housing or move to new housing. This program is administered through the Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development but it is available to Salem residents. Visit www.Lhand.org to apply or call (339) 883-2342 to learn more.

- Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance (ERMA) funds are available to low income families who have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and may not be eligible for RAFT. Like RAFT, ERMA may provide up to $10,000 for eligible households to assist with rent or mortgage arrears accrued after April 1, 2020 and/or with upcoming rent or mortgage payments. This program is also administered through the Lynn Housing Authority. Visit www.Lhand.org to apply or call (339) 883-2342 to learn more.