Register today for a free virtual training on the Massachusetts Housing Preservation Law, Chapter 40T

In its first 10 years, Chapter 40T has played a crucial role in the preservation of over 9,500 affordable units in almost 100 properties across the state. This forum will describe the statute, and look at the key factors that have led to its success.

Keynote Speaker: Priya Jayachandran, Chief Executive Officer, National Housing Trust
Topic: Reimagining Preservation

Speakers and Panelists:
– Bill Brauner, Director of Housing Preservation and Policy, CEDAC
– Roberta L. Rubin, Chief Counsel, Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development
– Rachel Heller, Chief Executive Officer, Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association
– Suneeth P. John, Director of Real Estate, Fenway Community Development Corporation

Registration is now open. Event is free of charge.

Click here to register.

Deaf-friendly home for the disabled opens in Quincy’s Germantown

The group home currently houses five adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has staff available 24 hours a day, and includes smart technology for the deaf staff and residents.

QUINCY — The first completely deaf-friendly group home for adults with disabilities in eastern Massachusetts has opened in Quincy’s Germantown neighborhood.

NeighborWorks Housing Solutions, a Quincy-based nonprofit that builds homes for veterans, homeless families, and people with disabilities, collaborated on the Bicknell Road project with WORK Inc., a nonprofit based that operates residential group homes for people with disabilities. The home currently houses five adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has staff available 24 hours a day, and includes smart technology for the deaf staff and residents.

“This has been an honor to collaborate with WORK Inc. on this project, which will truly be a home to five individuals who have a unique set of needs,” Robert Corley, chief executive officer of NeighborWorks, said in a statement. “We’re excited to show the community how important this type of housing is for the community. We look forward to partnering with WORK Inc. and other similar agencies to help create more housing like the home in Germantown.”

The group home was designed by Elton Hampton Architects and was funded by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services and the City of Quincy.

NeighborWorks Housing Solutions is responsible for various Quincy developments, including 140 units at The Watson on East Howard Street, 24 units at Winter Gardens on Winter Street, and 1116 Sea St. — a two-family home at the former Houghs Neck American Legion Post that houses two veterans and their families.

The nonprofit also received a $500,000 federal grant in February and was approved by the Quincy Planning Board in January for a project that will demolish four Quincy Point homes to build 18 low-income apartments in their place.

SourceThe Patriot Ledger

Eviction protection bill clears Housing Committee

A BILL THAT WOULD BAN most evictions and foreclosures for up to a year after Gov. Charlie Baker ends the coronavirus state of emergency cleared a key legislative hurdle on Thursday.

The Joint Committee on Housing advanced the bill in a party line vote, 14-2, just 18 days before the state’s eviction ban is set to expire. The effort, led the House chairman of the housing committee, Rep. Kevin Honan, Rep. Mike Connolly, and Sen. Pat Jehlen, would effectively extend the current eviction moratorium a full year after the end of the state of emergency and freeze all rent increases.

All 14 Democrats on the panel voted to advance the legislation. Republican Reps. David DeCoste and Will Crocker voted no, while Republican Sen. Patrick O’Connor of Weymouth abstained.

The committee made a several changes in its final version of the bill, which was originally filed in late June. The most significant was to allow landlords to apply for a tax credit from the state, equal to the amount of rent owed to them, if they forgive the corresponding rental debt of tenants who can’t pay because of COVID-19–related financial hardship.

The bill also allows smaller landlords with fewer than 15 units to pause mortgage payments for up to six months and add those payments onto the end of their loan. The bill additionally calls for a housing stability fund to be established to aid smaller landlords, but the revenue source for such assistance is unclear.

Eligibility for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition program would be expanded. Under the program, households meeting certain income requirements that have been impacted by the pandemic are eligible to receive up to $10,000 to be used for rental payments.

Tenant advocates lauded the bill’s movement, but landlord groups and some housing attorneys aren’t as pleased.

Douglas Quattrochi, director of trade group MassLandlords, said the bill authorizes tax credits for landlords “subject to availability.”

“It looks like it’s funded, but the fine print matters,” he said, suggesting the bill could amount to an “empty promise” for landlords struggling without rental payments coming in.

Connolly said the “funding structure is something intentionally left out” so legislators could focus on the framework of the legislation. He said the continued standoff in Washington over further stimulus aid has left federal funding that the state might receive in flux.

The bill now moves to the House Ways and Means Committee, which, Connolly said, will focus on the “funding and cost aspects of the bill.”

The Housing Committee broadened the scope of tenant protections in the legislation, limiting no-fault evictions and requiring landlords to show just-cause in the rare instances they are allowed to file for such action in housing court. A separate bill limiting such evictions failed in the Legislature a previous year.

Showing just-cause means that landlords have to give specific reasons, such as failure to pay rent, violation of the terms of a lease, or nuisance complaints for an eviction to even be considered.

The committee also recommended the creation of a legislative commission to study the impact of the pandemic and economic fallout on housing.

Quattrochi said he had concerns that the commission didn’t offer a seat to his organization, which represents 2,000 Massachusetts landlords, half of whom own less than six units. “You think we’re going to support this? Rep. Connolly is either careless or trying to stick it to us,” he wrote in an email.

Among the members proposed are: Honan and Sen. Brendan Crighton as chairs of the joint committee on housing; the chief justice of the housing court or a surrogate; a member of Attorney General Maura Healey’s office, directors of the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency, Housing Partnership Fund, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation, executive directors of tenant rights groups like City/Life Vida Urbana, academics, directors of local housing authorities, affordable housing developers, a member of the Small Property Owners Association, and others.

Baker has indicated he plans to allow the eviction moratorium law to expire on October 17, but has not made a final commitment.

In a recent court decision on a lawsuit brought by landlords challenging the moratorium, US District Court Judge Mark Wolf rejected their request to temporarily stop the eviction ban, but indicated it needs to end at some point.

“What is constitutionally permissible for a limited period of time may become unpermissible at some point,” Wolf said. 

The landlords’ attorney, Richard Vetstein, said he took Wolf’s comments to suggest a 12-month extension of the moratorium would “likely be unconstitutional.”

SourceCommonWealth Magazine

CEDAC Approves $8.4 Million in Acquisition Financing to Preserve Long-Term Affordability of 100 Housing Units in Attleboro

The Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) recently committed more than $8.4 million in acquisition financing for the preservation of affordable housing in Attleboro, MA.

The financing commitment was made to Retirement Housing Foundation (RHF), working in partnership with The Schochet Companies, to acquire Hillcrest Acres in Attleboro. The partners recently finalized the transaction, ensuring that this property will remain affordable going forward.

“Preserving affordable housing is an important part of CEDAC’s mission. Hillcrest Acres was far along the path of conversion from affordable housing to market rate, but thanks to this acquisition, all 100 apartments will have long-term affordability restrictions,” said Roger Herzog, CEDAC’s executive director. “Congratulations to our partners, Retirement Housing Foundation and The Schochet Companies, on this important milestone that will preserve a total of 100 units of affordable housing while preventing existing tenants from displacement.”

The 100-unit property was constructed in 1974 and faced expiring affordability restrictions in 2019. CEDAC participated with Eastern Bank to provide the acquisition financing. Funding sources included program-related investments (PRIs) from both Bank of America and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

“I am pleased to welcome Hillcrest Acres to the RHF family of 198 communities,” said Dr. Laverne Joseph, President and CEO of RHF. “There is a large and growing need for affordable housing and we are doing our best to address that need.”

Hillcrest Acres is a garden style multifamily community located on just over nine wooded acres in Attleboro, with a mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units. Consisting of 10 residential buildings spread throughout the property, the development offers picnic and barbecue areas, play areas, and a 3,000 square foot community/office building. The property is close to public transportation, including the MBTA commuter rail station with trains to both Providence and Boston.

“We are so appreciative of the efforts of CEDAC and the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in helping us to acquire and preserve this key asset as affordable for the folks who currently reside there as well as those who will come after them,” said Richard Henken, president of The Schochet Companies. “With their help we were able to get the seller an acceptable price so as to not lose these apartments to the market. We look forward to completing the second leg of this transaction, which will refresh and reinvigorate the property providing significant quality of life benefits for our residents.”

“This closing was made possible by the efficient and collaborative work with our partners,” said Bill Brauner, CEDAC’s Director of Housing Preservation. “We look forward to continuing to work with Retirement Housing Foundation as they seek long-term funding from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and from MassHousing, which will ensure that this development remains affordable for many years in the future.”

SourceBoston Real Estate Times

Belchertown Day School Opens Its Doors

After a three-year wait, the Belchertown Day School has opened its doors
to children and their families, with some restrictions due to COVID-19. Belchertown Day School Executive Director Pat Bruni and School Age Director Heidi Gutekenst said they are “excited to be in (their) forever home.”

SourceBelchertown, Granby & Amherst Sentinel

Hillcrest Acres in Attleboro acquired, to be kept as affordable housing

The nonprofit Retirement Housing Foundation and The Schochet Companies have closed on the acquisition of Hillcrest Acres Apartments, preserving 100 units of affordable housing, it was announced Friday.

Hillcrest Acres, located at 1101 Hillside Ave., is an expired Rent Supplement and Section 236 property, with a mixed income, but mostly affordable, resident population, the announcement said.

“With all affordability restrictions having expired, the project was at high risk of being lost to a market rate buyer, potentially leading to community disruption and displacement of many lower income households,” it said.

“I am pleased to welcome Hillcrest Acres to the RHF family of 198 communities,” RHF President and CEO Laverne Joseph said. “There is a large and growing need for affordable housing and we are doing our best to address that need.”

According to the announcement, the development team worked with the property owner for over a year to reach agreement on a transaction. To facilitate preservation, the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation has provided a $8.4 million acquisition loan, allowing for a bridge to a low-income housing tax credit transaction. Coupled with financing and funding from other public sources, it “allows for a major rehabilitation of dwelling units and most major systems.”

“Preserving affordable housing is an important part of CEDAC’s mission,” said Roger Herzog, CEDAC’s executive director. “Hillcrest Acres was far along the path of conversion from affordable housing to market rate, but thanks to this acquisition, all 100 apartments will have long-term affordability restrictions.”

The acquisition will preserve 100 units of affordable housing “while preventing existing tenants from displacement,” Herzog said.

Completed in 1974, Hillcrest Acres is a garden-style multi-family community located on just over 9 wooded acres. It consists of 10 residential buildings spread throughout the property and has picnic and barbecue areas, play areas, and a 3,000-square-foot community/office building on site.

Founded in 1961, RHF is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to provide a range of housing options and services for older adults, low-income families, and persons with disabilities.

It is affiliated with the Council for Health and Human Service Ministries of the United Church of Christ and LeadingAge and its state affiliates, and also co-sponsors housing development with other varied denominational and community organizations. RHF sponsors and manages 198 communities in 29 states and Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. This will be RHF’s 12th community in Massachusetts.

Schochet Associates Inc. is a real estate development and management company founded in 1973. Since that time, the company has developed, owned, and/or managed in excess of 7,000 apartments and over 600,000 square feet of retail and commercial space throughout New England and on the West Coast. Today, it owns and/or manages 5,000 apartments and 100,000 square feet of commercial space throughout New England.

CEDAC is a public-private community development finance institution that provides financial resources and technical expertise for community-based and other nonprofit organizations engaged in community development in Massachusetts.

SourceThe Sun Chronicle

New 6-Unit Building in Hyde Park

Dear Friends and Supporters,

We are very pleased to announce that we have acquired a new supportive housing project, a 6-unit building in Hyde Park. The project was originally developed more than twenty years ago by New Communities Services, a Cambridge-based nonprofit, to provide housing and supportive services to single adults at risk of homelessness. As the new owner, Mainstay will continue to operate the development as a supportive housing project for individuals at risk of homelessness.

This project was undertaken in partnership with the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) and the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. Roger Herzog, executive director of CEDAC, said “I’d like to thank Mainstay for ensuring the stability of this important project and congratulate them on their incredible work serving vulnerable populations, especially during these unprecedented times. The current public health crisis demonstrates how crucial it is for everyone to have access to a safe, affordable place to live and reaffirms our commitment to supporting the non-profit community development sector across the state. We would also like to thank the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health for their longstanding partnership as we continue to work together to produce and preserve permanent supportive housing in the Commonwealth.”

We were thrilled to be asked last year to step in to preserve this Supportive Housing development as its new owner. The City of Boston needs every unit of Supportive Housing it can get in its fight to end homelessness, and safeguarding and preserving these six units helps that cause immensely.

Mainstay is proud to say that we continue to deliver the services and supports, including safe and supportive housing, and person-centered home care, that people need to thrive in their residences and communities.

Thank you for your support.

Larry Oaks and the Mainstay Team

SourceMainstay

Under The Radar: Affordable Senior Housing Communities Need Support To Fight COVID-19

MassHousing has closed on $2.8 million in affordable workforce housing financing to The Community Builders for the ongoing construction of the 12-unit 35 Village Hill Road in Northampton. Valley Community Development Corporation is the project co-sponsor.

The new housing, which is being developed on the site of the former Northampton State Hospital, will feature 10 workforce housing apartments for moderate-income households and two deeply affordable units for clients of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH).

“MassHousing is pleased to support The Community Builders and Valley Community Development in their transformation of a vacant lot into new homes for working households and residents in need,” said MassHousing Executive Director Chrystal Kornegay. “We’re happy that these new homes will serve working and disabled households for many years into the future.”

“The Community Builders is excited to once again be expanding housing opportunities at Village Hill in Northampton. Our organization is committed to building strong communities where all people can thrive. We are grateful to MassHousing and our other state and local partners who help us make this work possible” said TCB Director of Development Rachana Crowley.

“Valley Community Development is proud to be part of increasing the economic diversity of housing options at Village Hill,” said Valley’s Executive Director Joanne Campbell.

The 12 new apartments will be contained in one building, which will also have first-floor commercial space. Ten of the apartments at 35 Village Hill Road will be workforce housing units affordable to moderate-income households. Six of the workforce housing units will be deed-restricted for households earning at or below 120 percent of the Area Media Income (AMI), and four will be workforce units for households earning at or below 80 percent of AMI. Additionally, two units will be deeply affordable for DMH clients and will be supported by federal Section 8 project-based vouchers. The AMI for Northampton is $76,000 for a household of four.

There will be two studio apartments, six one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom apartments. Construction is expected to be completed in September.

MassHousing is providing TCB with $1.4 million in permanent financing, and $1.4 million in workforce housing funding from the Agency’s Workforce Housing Initiative.

In addition to the MassHousing financing, the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is providing the project-based vouchers and $1.5 million in direct support. The project also received $1.3 million in funding through the Community Scale Housing Initiative (CSHI), a joint initiative of DHCD and MassHousing that funds smaller-scale affordable rental developments.

The Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) is providing $360,000 in financing, the City of Northampton contributed $200,000 in local Community Preservation Act funding and Citizens Bank is providing $2.5 million in construction financing.

35 Village Hill Road advances the Baker-Polito Administration’s goal of creating up to 1,000 new workforce housing units affordable to middle-income households through MassHousing’s Workforce Housing Initiative. Since the inception of the initiative in 2016, MassHousing has committed or closed workforce housing financing totaling $98.2 million, to 45 projects, located in 21 cities and towns. To date, the Workforce Housing Initiative has advanced the development of 4,030 housing units across a range of incomes, including 1,096 workforce housing units.

The general contractor is Western Builders. The architect is Davis Square Architects and the management agent is TCB.

MassHousing has financed five rental housing communities in Northampton totaling 642 units of housing with an overall original loan amount of $33.4 million and the Agency has also provided home mortgage loans to 427 homebuyers and homeowners with an original purchase principal balance of $31.2 million.

SourceHealth Affairs

MassHousing Closes on $2.8 Million in Financing for New Workforce Housing in Northampton

“Valley Community Development is proud to be part of increasing the economic diversity of housing options at Village Hill,” said Valley’s Executive Director Joanne Campbell.

There will be two studio apartments, six one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom apartments. Construction is expected to be completed in September.

MassHousing is providing TCB with $1.4 million in permanent financing, and $1.4 million in workforce housing funding from the Agency’s Workforce Housing Initiative.

The general contractor is Western Builders. The architect is Davis Square Architects and the management agent is TCB.

SourceBoston Real Estate Times

A $5 million investment in kids at Greater Lowell YMCA

A $5 million “investment in the future of our kids” should be ready by September as the Greater Lowell YMCA embarked Friday on a renovation and expansion project to its Thorndike Street building.

Executive Director Kevin Morrissey welcomed Lowell officials and others “to celebrate our investment in the facility and our children.”

When completed the project will mean 12,000-square-feet of renovated and added space providing “a state of the art learning center for kids,” Morrisey said.

A $1 million grant from the state Department of Early Education and Care got the project off the ground.

The state agency visited Lowell a year ago to evaluate the YMCA’s facility and programs before making the award.

“It really felt great here,” said Theresa Jordan of the Children’s Investment Fund, which oversees the grant for the state.

State Sen. Edward Kennedy, state Rep. Tom Golden and Mayor John Leahy shared memories of the YMCA growing up in Lowell. Golden and Leahy both learned how to swim at the Y pool. Kennedy also learned to swim at the Y, but the old Y on Merrimack Street, which was located between Old City Hall and what is now Enterprise Bank.

The new YMCA opened 45 years ago, so Kennedy took some ribbing from Golden and Leahy.

Golden called the Y “a real asset for the community” and added that it is a safe place for the children of Lowell. Leahy agreed and remembered coming to the building when it first opened.

City Manager Eileen Donoghue reminded the audience that the YMCA is more than 150 years old. “It’s been a labor of love from then until today,” she said, adding, “The YMCA is more important now than ever.”

While construction is underway, the early childhood programs and day care have been moved temporarily offsite. Windows in that area of the building are boarded up and the interior has been gutted. The gym and other areas at the front of the building are still open, but signs of construction are still evident.

Project Manager Robert Samaral of Kaplan Construction was on hand outside to answer questions. He has done a lot of work for YMCAs in the state, including several in Lawrence. But this is his first project in Lowell.

SourceLowell Sun

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