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Housing Opportunites  General Housing Application Elderly Housing and Applications Contact FAQs

Housing Opportunities - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. Question: I want my brother to live with me. Is this OK?

    Answer: Our occupancy standards allow for one person per studio, one or two people per one-bedroom unit, and between two and four people for a two-bedroom unit. If you want to add an additional person to your lease after moving in, you MUST contact Cascap and have him or her approved.

  2. Question: What is the rent for this unit?

    Answer: For all subsidized units, that is, all units except the moderate income units, rent is set at 30% of adjusted income. Rent for moderate income units is currently at $850.  Utilities (heat, electricity, water and sewer) are included at all sites except 411 Cambridge St.  At this site, tenants are given a "utility allowance" by the Cambridge Housing Authority, which effectively lowers the rent to compensate them for these costs.

  3. Question: Am I a good candidate for the unit?

    Answer: For all units, we screen credit, criminal, and landlord references. For those units with Section 8 subsidies, HUD requires that we deny access to applicants with certain drug related criminal histories and those who have a lifetime requirement to register as sex offenders.

  4. Question: Can I see a unit?

    Answer: Units will be shown to people when they come to the top of the waiting list. Feel free to look at the pictures on the website for a general sense of what the buildings and units look like.

  5. Question: How big are the units?

    Answer: We have studios, one-bedrooms and a few two-bedroom units.  They range in size from about 250 to 550 square feet of living space.

  6. Question: I'm looking for somewhere for the next school year, do I need to sign a year lease?

    Answer: Leases are month to month, but we will not rent to someone who still maintains another residence. The unit must be the household's only residence.

  7. Question: I don't want a studio, can I only be considered for a one-bedroom unit?

    Answer: You can request to be considered only for a one-bedroom unit, but it may mean that you will wait significantly longer for a spot.  We allow current tenants to transfer from studios to larger units before we consider outside applicants.  We strongly encourage that you consider a studio if you are going to apply for housing.