Voices of Experience:
What works, what frustrates, and what to do to strengthen the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program
May 7, 2025
By any measure, the Massachusetts Rental Voucher program is popular. MRVP, as it's known, serves more than 10,700 low-income households across Massachusetts, who typically pay 30% of their gross income for rent and receive a voucher for the remainder. As of February 2025, 168,000 applicants are waiting for a spot in the program.
Popular, yes. But is it successful? To find out, MassINC Polling Group, with support of the Boston Foundation and a wide consortium of other organizations, surveyed nearly 1,000 MRVP tenants and 175 landlords, and held focus groups and interviews with tenants and landlords to get their views on the program.
The research finds that tenants and landlords alike have generally positive opinions of the program and their housing. Tenants like the economic stability and positive impacts stable housing provides, while landlords like the consistent payments and stability vouchers provide. But both say even so, there are a number of places where an improved MRVP could reduce wait times and red tape and provide greater supports. To learn more, download the full report.
