Fair & Affordable Housing in Lexington

Understanding Your Eligibility for Affordable Housing

Most affordable housing programs base eligibility on the number of people in your household and your total income. See the current income limits. Income is usually a combination of salary, child support, alimony, and other sources, but it varies depending on the housing program.

Every year the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) releases figures showing each region's median income by household size. Massachusetts is in Region I. Lexington is in the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy HUD Metropolitan Area in Region I. Housing programs base your eligibility for their program on what percentage of the region's median income you make.

Example: In 2021, the median income for 2 people in our area of Region I was $96,640. If you made $40,000 total, then you made less than 50% of the median income. That made you eligible for affordable housing for people making 50% or less of the median income.

Find out more about your eligibility for affordable housing.

Finding Affordable Housing

Several organizations in Lexington provide access to affordable housing units. The main ones are the Lexington Housing Authority and the Lexington Housing Assistance Board. There are also nonprofit organizations in the Boston MetroWest area that can help you find affordable units in private developments in Lexington and surrounding towns.

Important: There are waiting lists for all of these properties. It is highly recommended that you apply to as many programs as possible. Check your application status regularly.

Places to Apply for Affordable Housing

Other Online Resources

  • Massachusetts Affordable Housing Information: Information resource about public housing, rental assistance programs, emergency housing, and other state resources to help you find safe and secure shelter.
  • Massachusetts Housing Navigator: Online tool to simplify the search for affordable rentals statewide.
  • MCO Housing Services: Nonprofit that works with prospective affordable housing homebuyers and renters, as well as agencies and developers.
  • Metro Housing Boston: Nonprofit that works with individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes, and helps them find available services.

Applying for a Housing Voucher

The Lexington Housing Authority (LHA) administers federal and state housing voucher programs to help households with very low income pay their rent. They include the federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), commonly known as Section 8 vouchers, and the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) vouchers. Eligibility is based on monthly income and the number of people in your household. You can apply for the following programs through the Lexington Housing Authority or online.

Section 8 Voucher

You can apply for a Section 8 voucher online or at the LHA office. This is the voucher for the federal program that subsidizes the rent of low-income families, elderly and disabled individuals. Because housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants can use it when finding their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments.

Massachusetts Rental Voucher

You can apply for a Massachusetts Rental Voucher online, in-person at the LHA office or at any housing authority office. This voucher uses the Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs (CHAMP) application form, the common housing application for all state-aided public housing, including housing for the elderly and disabled.

Lexington Scattered-Site Housing

Call the LHA office for more information about how to apply, 781-861-0900. These are affordable units owned by the Lexington Housing Authority.

Continuing to Stay in Your Lexington Home

Call the Lexington Human Services Department if you have a housing emergency or are unsure what resources you need: 781-698-4840, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Financial assistance may be available to you from the Town of Lexington or through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Lexington Programs

Statewide Financial Assistance Programs

Metro Housing Boston
1411 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02120-3401
Phone: 617-859-0400
Toll-Free: 800-272-0990
Metro Housing Boston Website

Metro Housing Boston has comprehensive information on financial assistance. It is an excellent resource for:

Avoiding Eviction

For assistance if you are facing eviction, call Lexington Human Services Department to be connected with a social worker on staff: 781-698-4840, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Massachusetts Eviction Help can also provide information and assistance.

Metro Housing Boston's Financial Assistance department includes many programs, activities, and resources that can help prevent eviction and homelessness.

Housing Discrimination Concerns or Complaints

Housing discrimination is a violation of the Fair Housing law. If you believe you are being discriminated against in Lexington, you can submit a Lexington Housing Discrimination Complaint Form or contact the Lexington Human Rights Committee.

You can also contact the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD). You can file a discrimination complaint online, or call them at 617-994-6196, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.

Learn More About Fair Housing Law

When looking to buy or rent a property it is important to know that you are protected under Fair Housing laws. Fair Housing laws are some of the strongest civil rights statutes on the books. Federal and State laws, including the Massachusetts Fair Housing laws, make it illegal to discriminate against people when renting or purchasing a unit based on any of the following:

  • Race
  • Disability
  • Color
  • Religious creed
  • National origin
  • Ancestry
  • Sex
  • Age
  • Sexual orientation
  • Genetic information
  • Gender identity or expression
  • Marital status
  • Family status (families with children under 18)
  • Veteran status or membership in the armed forces of the United States
  • Status as a person who is a recipient of federal, state, or local public assistance or who is a tenant receiving federal, state or local housing subsidies including rental assistance or rental supplements

Find out more about Fair Housing and the Massachusetts Fair Housing Law from the Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA). CHAPA also sponsors educational events for the public.