Housing and Foreclosure Assistance

RCAP Solutions maintains a list of available housing at request of landlord's. Users can search the list by a number of different criteria by using our Housing Search Tool.  RCAP Solutions does not endorse these units until they are approved by the RCAP Housing Inspection Department.

RCAP Solutions mantiene una lista de envoltura disponible por petición de cada propietario. Los usuarios pueden buscar la lista por varios criterios diferentes utilizando nuestro Instrumento de la Búsqueda de Envoltura. RCAP Solutions no aprueba estas unidades hasta que ellas sean aprobadas por el Departamento de Inspección de Envoltura de RCAP.

Click Here For Available Housing Search Tool

RCAP Solutions is proud to announce that we are taking our organization into the next level of technology and implementing the "Helping Hands Debt Solutions Software Program"
If you are interested in downloading the Helping Hands Mortgage Modification Software Kit for your personal use please click the Helping Hands icon and follow the installation instructions.

Foreclosure Information For Tenants

The RCAP Solutions Housing Consumer Education Center (HCEC) helps consumers make informed decisions about their housing situation. The HCEC center is a resource for tenants, landlords, and homeowners. HCEC staff provide expertise in housing search, emergency housing assistance, advocacy, counseling, and education.  The HCEC direct extension is 978-630-6770.

The NeighborWorks® HomeOwnership Center is also a good resource for foreclosure issues.

1) Do I have to move as soon as my building is foreclosed?
NO! Don’t panic. No one can force you to move out without a court order. If your landlord loses the building through a foreclosure, you become a tenant of the new owner. The new owner must go through a court eviction process to make you move out.

2) What happens to my lease after foreclosure?
Under a new Massachusetts law, leases are generally ended by the foreclosure, and you then become a “tenant-at-will”. That means you are not a trespasser, and you do not have to leave immediately. If the new owner wants you to move, the new owner must give you a notice to quit. If you do not leave by the end of the notice period, the new owner must go to court to request the court’s permission to evict you.

3) Does it make a difference if I receive assistance through the Section 8 or MRVP program?
YES! Under the new Massachusetts law, leases of tenants whose rent is subsidized under either a state or federal program are not ended by the foreclosure. The new owner will have to follow the lease terms in order to make you move.

4) What if I don’t have a lease?
The new Massachusetts law makes clear that your tenancy is not automatically ended by the foreclosure. You are still a tenant. The new owner will have to follow the usual procedures (i.e. provide a notice to quit, go to housing court, etc.) to make you leave.

5) Should I take an offer of money to move out quickly?
Generally, no. Take a hard look at what you are being offered. You may do much better by waiting and going to court Offers of “cash for keys” are not official programs, and you do not have to agree. Is the money being offered you enough to move (first and last month’s rent, security deposit, moving costs, utility hook-ups etc.)? Do you have a decent and affordable place to move to? If not, going through court will usually give you more time to find another place. You may have claims against the new owner, or be able to negotiate for more money.

6) Can I ask the court for more time to move?
Yes! You can ask the court for up to six months to leave, or up to a year if you are at least 60 years old or disabled – provided you are not being evicted for non-payment of rent or for other misconduct, and you have been unable to find another place to live.

7) After foreclosure is the new owner responsible for repairs and utilities?
YES. After a foreclosure, the new owner is responsible for the same things as the old owner. If the old owner was responsible for certain utilities, then the new owner is too. If repairs are needed, notify the new owner in writing, and keep a copy for yourself. If you don’t know who the new owner is, get in touch with anyone who may have given you papers about the foreclosure. It might be a real estate agent or a lawyer for the new owner. It’s also a good idea to call your local code enforcement agency.

8) Should I pay rent after foreclosure?
YES. That will preserve your right to ask the court for more time to move. If the new owner doesn’t accept your rent, save the money and do not spend it. Offer to pay your rent in a letter to the new owner, or their agent, and keep a copy for your records. Don’t pay rent to the old landlord once there has been a foreclosure sale.

RCAP Solutions is a regional contractor for the Homes for Good Program. This program is administered by the Massachusetts Nonprofit Housing Association (MNPHA) through its network of nine regional housing agencies. MNPHA has been in existence for over 25 years and works with its members on issues of affordable homeownership and rental housing.

For more information on housing opportunities through "Homes For Good", click here.

RCAP Solutions is a partner of the Greater Gardner CDC.  The Greater Gardner CDC's First-Time Homebuyer / Affordable Housing Program assists first-time homebuyers by offering a comprehensive educational program and by providing homeownership opportunities for qualified residents through housing rehabilitation and new construction projects.

Since 2001 the Greater Gardner CDC has been offering qualified area residents an opportunity to afford a home of their own through the organization's "Homeownership Opportunities" program. Past projects have included three housing rehabilitations and six single-family homes and a two-unit condominium built by Monty Tech.

Click here for a list of affordable home opportunities with the Greater Gardner CDC