For Applicants

Columbia Court
Columbia Court

Are you looking for affordable housing in Cambridge? The Housing Division offers both rental and ownership opportunities. To be considered for these programs, you must complete and submit an application along with all required supporting documentation. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

To learn more about affordable rental and homeownership in Cambridge, please do the following:

  • Search this web site by selecting one of the sections below. There are pages of information on this website, including program guidelines, application forms, Frequently Asked Questions, contact names, and more.
  • Attend one of the information sessions about the city's rental and homeownership programs. You can find the schedule of upcoming sessions and links to register to attend via Zoom here. 
  • Use the Housing Program Eligibility Tool to check which City of Cambridge housing programs you may be eligible for based on your annual income and household size. 
  • If you have additional questions, please click on this email address housing@cambridgema.gov and send your questions to the Housing Division. Or you may call the Housing Division at 617/349-4622.
  • Wheeler Street

    Apply for Rental Housing

    The Housing Division administers the Rental Applicant Pool. The pool selects tenants for rental units created through the City's Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance. These units are located throughout the city in privately owned mixed-income developments.

  • 157 Pleasant Street

    Apply for Ownership Housing

    The Housing Division offers several programs for applicants interested in buying an affordable home in Cambridge. The Homeownership Resale Pool is used to select buyers for affordable units when the current owner chooses to sell. Newly developed homeownership units, when available, are sold through a lottery processes administered by the Housing Division.

    Please click here for other available units, including options for homeownership.

  • Jackson Gardens

    Other Housing Opportunities

    In addition to programs offered through the Housing Division, there are other affordable housing options in Cambridge. These include rental units owned by local non-profits; public housing and Section 8 vouchers offered through the Cambridge Housing Authority; and privately-owned affordable housing developments. In addition, there are ownership opportunities offered directly through non-profit developers.

  • 125 Harvard St

    HomeBridge

    HomeBridge is a program to assist first-time homebuyers to purchase a home in Cambridge. Eligible buyers receive financial assistance for a portion of the price of the home; in exchange, they enter into an affordable housing restriction.