If you are behind on your bills, DTA may decide you have “mismanaged” your benefits and send all or part of your benefits to a landlord or utility company. DTA may presume that you have mismanaged your benefits whenever your housing expenses have not been regularly paid for three or more months without reasonable cause. DTA should not presume you have mismanaged your benefits and should not put you on vendor payments if
- Your income does not meet your basic needs.
- Putting you on vendor payments would increase your risk of domestic violence.
- Putting you on vendor payments would increase your risk of becoming homeless, for example if you are doubled up, don’t have a lease, or would be at risk of eviction if DTA paid your landlord directly.
If DTA decides that you should go on vendor payments for rent, it will require you to get a health and safety inspection report for your address. If your property passes inspection, DTA will put you on vendor payments. If it does not pass inspection, DTA may refer your case to the Department of Children and Families. 106 C.M.R. §§ 706.620-706.680; DTA Operations Memo 2013-48 (Sept. 12, 2013); DTA Transitions, Oct. 2013, p. 4-5.
DTA can also put you on vendor payments if you lose your part of the grant because you do not meet the child support requirements, if you do not meet the Work Program requirements or the terms of an Employment Development Plan, or if you do not meet certain other program requirements. 106 C.M.R. § 706.610.