A five-year effort by MassHousing and industry partners recently came to fruition, when the Agency released the Common Pre-Application for Affordable Rental Housing.
The Common Pre-App helps management companies facilitate and improve efficiency throughout the application and wait list placement process. It also helps anyone looking for an affordable apartment since they can complete the document once, and then submit it to multiple properties. In the past, different developments and management companies required their own forms be completed.
"What we saw out there was an affordable rental housing application crisis," said Henry Mukasa, MassHousing's Director of Rental Management. "Having a self-certifying, short Pre-Application form makes the application and wait list placement process easier for prospective applicants. A big thank you to the team that worked diligently to create the fantastic Pre-Application form."
MassHousing staff worked closely with Peabody Properties' Melissa Fish-Crane and Doreen Donovan; Debbie Piltch of Piltch Associates; and Beacon Communities' Deb Burke to develop the Common Pre-App. The document has been translated into nine languages and is accepted by most of MassHousing's management company partners.