The Belchertown Housing Authority
ALERT
PUBLIC NOTICE
In an effort to mitigate potential exposure of the Corona virus to our residents and staff we encourage everyone to conduct business with the Housing Authority via email, mail or by phone. Thank you for your cooperation.
The Belchertown Housing Authority (BHA) was established on February 26, 1969 under Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 121b. We are a non-profit organization which is managed by an Executive Director, who is appointed by the town elected Board of Commissioners. We operate according to the policies of the Belchertown Housing Authority (BHA), as well as the guidelines and regulations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). We offer three different types of public housing programs: Elderly (667), Disabled (689), and Family (705). These programs are subsidized by the Commonwealth; we do not receive Federal funding. Eligibility for housing is based on age, disability, family size, and income. Prospective tenants are thoroughly screened for qualification, including background checks, criminal history, as well as personal and prior landlord references. Applicants must be 60 years of age or older to be eligible for elderly housing. Disabled applicants need to submit the doctors verification form for handicap/disabled status to be eligible for disabled housing.
Units at Everett Ave., also known as Everett Acres, consist of 48, 1 bedroom apartment units for elderly/disabled living. Apartments are located on first and second floors. Each unit has a living room/kitchen combination, bedroom, and bathroom. On site parking is available but not assigned. The office building contains a coin operated laundry room and a community room, which has additional amenities for tenant use and can be reserved for private functions. There is on site maintenance and a 24 hour answering service. Tenants at Everett Acres pay 30% of their net monthly income for rent, which includes utilities such as heat, electricity, and trash pick up (but not cable/phone). Rents vary widely according to each tenant's income and allowable deductions.
Family housing is located at both State Street and George Hannum Road. Each family apartment has a living room, kitchen/dining room combination, bedrooms, laundry room, full bath on the second floor, and a half bath on the first floor. Off street parking is available and trash pick up is included in the rent. At each location we have four 3 bedroom units, one 2 bedroom unit, one 4 bedroom unit, and one unit which is set aside for a disabled tenant and that is leased to the Department of Developmental Services. Tenants in family housing pay 27% of their net monthly income as rent, as their utilities such as heat and electricity are not included in the rent.
Our East Walnut St. location contains four units that were originally designated and used for disabled housing. We are currently in the process of renovations that will transfer this property into four two bedroom family units.
Our East Walnut St. location contains four units that were originally designated and used for disabled housing. We are currently in the process of renovations that will transfer this property into four two bedroom family units.