Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Funding for persons with disabilities

[Ellen Keyne Seebacher (elle]

On Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 02:41:40PM -0400, Sharon Villines wrote:

> There are at least two definitions of affordable, one based on home  
> prices in the area and one based on the household income. ...
> 
> Affordable based on income usually means total housing costs in the  
> range of ~30% of their income.

In Massachusetts, the state 40B program is designed for families making
less than 70% of the median income of the "area" (which seems to be
Metropolitan Statistical Area -- Boston and Worcester costs are figured
differently, and we're just over the border into Worcester's area).

The part where costs-as-percentage-of-income comes in is when 40B
prospects try to get mortgages.  In some cases it's a very narrow
window between "makes a low enough income to qualify for a 40B home"
and "makes a high enough income to get a mortgage for it". :}


        Ellen Seebacher
        Mosaic Commons / Sawyer Hill Ecovillage (Berlin, MA)