5. Households will be placed on each waitlist for which they qualify based on when they applied.

For households without disabilities or households who do not require reasonable accommodations, the Leasing Office will time stamp the Waiting List Application when the Leasing Office receives it.

For households WITH disabilities or requiring reasonable accommodations in the time it takes to complete and/or submit a Waiting List Application, the Leasing Office will time stamp the Waiting List Application when it is given to the household to complete. These households will then be placed on the Waiting Lists based upon such date/time stamp, provided that the application is returned or postmarked not more than 30 days of such date/time stamp.

The Leasing Office will indicate the date the applicant is placed on the waiting list. All records, including the application, must be retained for a period of three years.

6. Place the household on bottom of the Waiting List TIER that corresponds to their household TYPE. This will ensure that households that are “appropriately sized” for the unit who apply after smaller household types will get to “jump” the smaller household on the waiting list. However, if no “appropriately sized” household types are on the waiting lists, smaller household types may rent the larger unit. Persons using a wheelchair or requiring similar accommodations may apply for a standard unit, as well as an accessible unit, at their discretion.

Example 1: Household X is a single-parent with a child who wants either a 1BR or 2BR unit. They will be place on the Waiting Lists for the 1BR and 2BR unit and no other lists. They should be given a position above all single person households and all two person households who are husband/wife or have a similar living arrangement (as these households are not considered “appropriate” or in need of a 2BR unit, whereas a single parent and child is “appropriate” for a 2BR unit).
Example 2: Household Y is a married couple who cannot share a bedroom and one of the members has a disability. They want a 2BR unit. They will be placed on each of the following waiting lists: 2BR AND 2BR disabled-accessible. Only households in need of accessible features will be on the 2BR disabled-accessible Waiting List.

7. For Disabled-Accessible Unit availability: You cannot offer them to anyone that doesn’t need to features for at least 15 days after they have been posted on MassAccess. Additionally, the new guidelines also reference a statute that requires the owner or other person having the right of ownership to give timely notice that a wheelchair accessible unit is vacant or will become vacant to a person who has, within the past 12 months, notified the owner or person or person having the right of ownership that such person is in need of a wheelchair accessible unit. Just make sure that you keep households who inquire about the units on the disabled-accessible Waiting List for at least 12 months and then when a DA unit is available, you will guarantee compliance with this guideline.

8. The Leasing Office will indicate the date the applicant is placed on the waiting list. All records, including the application, must be retained for a period of three years.

9. If an applicant is offered and rejects two units in the property; each time the applicant rejects an offered unit, his/her name goes to the bottom of the list. After two rejections, the name is removed.