Eligibility and Applications
Eligibility Requirements
Due to our status as a nonprofit organization, applicants must meet government-mandated criteria to be eligible for residency at Colony Retirement Homes.
- Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
- Have one household member who is 62 years of age, older or need the features of an accessible unit.
- Be low income by federal HUD Department (if your household size is larger than two people, please call and ask what the income limits are. Our occupancy standards limit household size to two people per bedroom).
Current Income Limits
The total household income must be below:
- $38,700 for a one-person household
- $44,200 for a two-person household
The total household income must be below:
- $61,900 for a one-person household
- $70,750 for a two-person household
HUD regulations require us to give priority to people who are “extremely low income.” To qualify for this priority, the total household income must be below:
- $23,250 for a one-person household
- $26,550 for a two-person household
The Application Process
To apply for residency at Colony Retirement Homes, download, print out, and complete the application, then mail it to the Colony Site of your choice. You can submit an application to as many Colonies as you’d like, but each application must be made individually.
There is usually a waiting list for each Colony site, so you may not receive a response right away. But when your name comes closer to the top of the list, we will call you for an interview. At that time, we will require the following documentation:
- A copy of your Social Security card
- A copy of your birth certificate
- Proof of all sources and amounts of income (pension letter, social security letter, etc.)
- Documentation of all your assets and income they generate (bank accounts, IRAs, etc.)
Housing Subsidies for Colony II Applicants
At Colony II, we have units with three different subsidy structures:
- We have units with a project-based Section 8 subsidy administered by Colony, for which the income limit is 50% of AMI (see FAQ page for up to date amounts).
- We have units with a project-based Section 8 subsidy administered by the Worcester Housing Authority, for which the income limit is 80% of AMI. Applicants should call the Worcester Housing Authority at 508-635-3000 and ask for the application for the elderly-only project-based list.
- We have unsubsidized units. Currently, we limit income to 80% of AMI and set the rent at a level “affordable” to households in this category.
You may be eligible to apply for more than one subsidy structure. Please call the site manager and ask about your particular situation.
