Andover renters who qualify by income have until Sunday, Aug. 9, to apply for up to a year of federally funded help covering the gap between what they can afford and what they owe their landlord each month.

The Andover Community Trust is accepting applications for its Tenant Based Rental Assistance program, which can serve four to six households this round. Participating families pay 30% of their income toward rent while the program sends the remaining balance directly to the landlord for up to 12 months, according to Andover MA News.

The deadline was extended to Aug. 9 from an earlier date, the news outlet reported.

Who qualifies

To be eligible, a household must live in Andover and earn at or below 60% of the area median income. Under HUD's FY2026 HOME income limits for the Lawrence, MA-NH metro area, which includes Andover, that ceiling is $57,720 for a single person, $65,940 for two people, $74,160 for three and $82,380 for a family of four.

Households already receiving Section 8 or similar rental assistance cannot apply. Rent must also fall within HUD's reasonable rent limits for Massachusetts.

How slots are awarded

Applications are reviewed first-come, first-served, but priority goes to applicants who are homeless, facing eviction through no fault of their own, fleeing domestic violence or spending a high share of their income on rent.

Funding is limited. Not all applicants will be selected.

The program was oversubscribed during its fall 2025 round, when the trust accepted only waitlist names.

How to apply

The Andover Community Trust's program page lists application details. Applicants must provide documentation verifying income and eligibility.

"These programs are especially important in a town like Andover," Executive Director Denise Johnson said in August 2025, when the trust announced the TBRA program alongside a companion emergency assistance program. "Even in communities where overall income levels are high, many households face challenges with housing costs."

The TBRA program is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's HOME Program and administered locally by the Andover Community Trust.

Applications must be submitted by Sunday, Aug. 9. The trust's program page lists [email protected] as the submission address.