1. What are the income limits for state-aided public housing?

To be eligible for state-aided public housing, your household income must be at or under 80 percent of the area median income. The income limits change periodically, so for current income limits, please visit the DHCD website.

2. What about state vouchers (MRVP or AHVP), federally subsidized apartments, and Section 8 vouchers? Can I use the CHAMP application?

The CHAMP application is currently only available for state-aided public housing and the Alternative Housing Voucher Program. Please contact your Local Housing Authority or Regional Administering Agency if you are interested in learning more about federally subsidized apartments, the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) and Section 8 vouchers. The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) also provides an online application for Section 8 vouchers administered by some Local Housing Authorities in Massachusetts.

3. How do I request a translator to help me apply using CHAMP?

Both the online and paper CHAMP applications are available in English, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese. To request a translator please contact a Local Housing Authority.

4. I have a disability which makes it difficult for me to file a CHAMP application. How can I get some assistance?

Please contact any Local Housing Authority for assistance.

5. What if I want to apply using CHAMP online but I have to use a public computer?

Your online CHAMP application can be accessed using a smart phone (i.e. android or iPhone), tablet, or computer. If you are using a public computer (at a library for example) make sure you do not save any personal or login information to that device and log off completely after you are done. If you are inactive on the CHAMP website for more than 20 minutes you will be logged off automatically.

6. What should I use as a username when I create a CHAMP account?

You will be required to use an email address as your username when creating a CHAMP account online. This will help you access your account in case you forget your password. If you do not have an email or access to a computer, you may still apply for state-aided public housing using a paper CHAMP application.

7. I submitted an application for Public Housing or AHVP in the past, was this application entered into the CHAMP system?

Yes, any active Public Housing or AHVP applications previously submitted on paper to a Local Housing Authority are now online in CHAMP. You may search for your application and create an account online using the CHAMP website.

8. I submitted my application a long time ago, will I still have the same timestamp that was on my original application?

Yes, your previous time stamp has been saved online in CHAMP. However, you will need to log into the CHAMP website or contact a Local Housing Authority at least once every two years in order to keep your application active. If you do not keep your application active, it will be given an inactive status and removed from waiting lists after one year of inactivity.

9. I started an application online but did not finish it, how can I go back in to complete it?

If you started an application online, you may finish where you left off by logging into your CHAMP account. You may come back to complete or edit your application at any time, but it will not be submitted until you have completed the Applicant's Certification AND the Fair Information Practices Act -Statement of Rights at the end of the application and clicked “submit.” You must select at least one program at one housing authority where you want to apply in order to submit your application. Once you have submitted a CHAMP application, you will be able to make changes or updates to your application using your online account.

10. I mailed a CHAMP application to a Local Housing Authority, how long will it take for me to see it online?

Processing times vary by Local Housing Authority. However, all applications will receive a timestamp when they are received and will be available on the CHAMP website after they have been processed. To ensure your application is processed fully, be sure to provide all of the required (*) information, make at least one housing selection, and sign the Applicant's Certification AND the Fair Information Practices Act - Statement of Rights at the end of the CHAMP application.

11. How do I add or remove myself from a waitlist?

Every Local Housing Authority has a waitlist for each of the housing programs available at their Local Housing Authority. At the end of each program specific section of the CHAMP application there is a full list of AHVP Waitlist Selections and Public Housing Selections. You can add yourself to a waitlist by choosing a selection for the programs that you have applied to. Please see the DHCD website for descriptions of each housing program.

Once you have applied using CHAMP and created an account, you will be able to make changes to your application online. You may also update your application by sending a written request to any Local Housing Authority using the forms available on the DHCD website. If you can’t access or print out a form online, you may obtain one from a Housing Authority.

12. Who should I ask if I am having trouble completing the CHAMP application?

For assistance applying with the CHAMP application, please contact a Local Housing Authority.

13. Where can I find the CHAMP Paper Application?

You can now apply for state-aided Public Housing and the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP) online or access your previously submitted application online using CHAMP. To use the paper application for state-aided public housing instead, click here and mail it or go to any Local Housing Authority.

14. I received a Notice of Required Verification of Priority and Preference, what do I do?

If you received a Notice of Required Verification of Priority and Preference, this means that a Local Housing Authority requires documentation from you in order to verify information you provided in your CHAMP Application related to your housing situation, your residential address, your employment address, or your veteran status. You must respond to the Notice by submitting the requested documentation to a Local Housing Authority by the deadline given in the Notice. If you are unable to submit the requested documentation by the deadline, you should still submit this documentation as soon as you are able. You can upload the requested documentation online by going to your Screening Homepage in your CHAMP Account (see question #18 below) or you can mail or hand deliver a paper copy of the requested documentation directly to a Local Housing Authority. If you upload documentation in response to screening, it is critical to contact the Housing Authority to let them know. Please note that any documentation that you provide to verify your application may be shared with all Local Housing Authorities to which you have applied.

15. I received a Notice of Eligibility and Qualifications Screening for State-Aided Housing, what do I do?

If you received a Notice of Eligibility and Qualifications Screening for State-Aided Housing, this means that a Local Housing Authority requires documentation from you in order to verify information you provided in your CHAMP Application related to your eligibility and qualifications for state-aided housing. You must respond to the Notice by submitting the requested documentation to a Local Housing Authority by the deadline given in the Notice. If you are unable to submit the requested documentation by the deadline you should still submit this documentation as soon as you are able. You can upload the requested documentation online by going to your Screening Home Page in your CHAMP Account (see question #18 below) or you can mail or hand deliver a paper copy of the requested documentation directly to a Local Housing Authority. If you upload documentation in response to screening, it is critical to contact the Housing Authority to let them know. Please note that any documentation that you provide to verify your application may be shared with all Local Housing Authorities to which you have applied.

16. What happens if I don't respond to a Notice of Required Verification of Priority and Preference that I received from a Local Housing Authority?

If a Local Housing Authority sends you a Notice of Required Verification of Priority and Preference, you must respond with the requested documentation in order to be granted the priority and/or preference for which you applied. If you do not respond fully by the deadline your application will not receive the priority or preference for which you applied. You may submit documentation to verify the priority or preference later on, and when you do so, your application will be granted the priority or preference for which you applied if you are found to be eligible under the rules for the preference or priority. If you are found ineligible for the preference or priority, the housing authority will notify you of your right to appeal.

17. What happens if I don't respond to a Notice of Eligibility and Qualifications Screening for State-Aided Housing that I received from a Local Housing Authority?

If a Local Housing Authority sends you a Notice of Eligibility and Qualifications Screening for State-Aided Housing, you must respond with the requested documentation by the deadline set out in the Notice. If you do not respond fully by the deadline set out in the Notice, your application may be delayed or you may be disqualified from housing. If you are unable to submit your documentation by the deadline, you should contact the Housing Authority to let them know. It is important that there will be delay. If you are disqualified, the housing authority will notify you of your right to appeal.

18. Can I upload documents through my CHAMP Account in order to respond to screening requests from Local Housing Authorities?

Yes, but it is always important to alert the Housing Authority that you have uploaded your documentation. In order to upload documents to respond to screening requests, login to your CHAMP Account and go to your Screening Homepage by clicking the tab at the top of the page. Here you will find a Screening Summary showing which Local Housing Authorities are currently screening your application as well as upload links for each type of document you may have to provide in order to verify your application information. While at your Screening Homepage, you may review any screening letters in the My Screening Summary, collect the documentation requested in those letters, and upload the documents on the correct upload page. If you have trouble using the document upload tools, you can always submit a paper copy of your verification documentation directly to a Local Housing Authority.

19. In my CHAMP account, can I see copies of screening letters/notices that a Local Housing Authority has sent me in the mail?

Yes. In order to see copies of screening letters/notices that a Local Housing Authority has sent to you, login to your CHAMP Account, go to your Screening Homepage, and click the 'Letters' link under 'Applicant File'. This will show you a copy of all the screening letters you have been sent in the mail. If you view the My Screening Summary, you can view which Local Housing Authorities are currently screening your application, and you can view which screening letters/notices require responses from you.

Still need help?

To reach our contact center for more information, call 1-866-483-6445.