Initiative Aimed to Ease Housing Costs for Child Care Providers and Other Essential Workers
HYANNIS, Mass. (April 8, 2024) – Housing Assistance is again accepting applications for a rental assistance program that the nonprofit organization developed to address housing affordability and increase empowerment for households on Cape Cod.
The program called THRIVE – Tools to Help Residents in a Vulnerable Economy – was designed to support workers in essential industries who are struggling to afford their housing due to the region’s high cost of living. Those industries include the childcare, disability care, education, and nonprofit sectors.
“We created THRIVE to help bridge the gap between high housing costs and financial stability – a gap that unfortunately is only growing for many in our workforce who provide services that are essential to Cape Codders’ way of life,” said Alisa Magnotta, CEO of Housing Assistance. “We encourage individuals who may earn too much to qualify for affordable housing assistance but not enough to actually afford housing.”
THRIVE participants receive a $450 monthly subsidy for up to 24 months, which is paid directly to the landlord to cover a portion of the household’s rent. To increase their financial empowerment, participants are required to work with a HUD-certified housing counselor to set financial goals such reducing debt, starting a savings account, and setting a path to homeownership.
Housing Assistance piloted the program in 2021, launched it up in 2022 and expanded eligible industries in 2024. THRIVE has been supported by the Cape and Islands United Way and the Bilezikian Family Foundation, along with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
For more information about the THRIVE program, visit haconcapecod.org/program-services/rental-voucher-programs/thrive/.
About Housing Assistance
Housing Assistance was founded in 1974. Its mission is to strengthen the Cape Cod and Islands region by empowering individuals, fostering community connections, and increasing affordable housing opportunities. The organization is a community non-profit that offers a continuum of housing and education programs that focus on homelessness prevention, rental stabilization, and homeownership opportunities for families and individuals on Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard.
For more information, visit HAConCapeCod.org.
