Category: CEDAC

City, nonprofits turn focus on affordable housing

It’s no secret to agents, buyers and sellers in Boston that the city’s housing market is hot — sometimes a little too hot. With scarce inventory and increasing prices, many people find themselves sitting on the sidelines, unable to afford homes of their own.

To level the playing field, Mayor Martin J. Walsh recently announced the Vacant Site Acquisition Fund, which will help nonprofit developers acquire plots of underutilized land and buildings around the city.

Under the plan, affordable housing developers will be able to apply for loans to acquire such properties. The $8.5 million includes $2.5 million from the city and $6 million from the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

“Addressing rising housing costs is necessary for preserving the diversity and character that makes Boston a place where all residents can thrive; so we need to continue to think innovatively about ways to give Boston residents more affordable housing options,” Walsh said in a statement. “As our neighborhoods develop and change, it is vital that our nonprofit partners are able to compete in today’s real estate market to acquire developable sites.”
Besides acquisition of land with longer terms, the VSAF also has two other functions — it will offer short-term bridge loans to help developers put down deposits on land and loans of up to $300,000 at no interest to help developers hold properties for three to five years.
Property owners who take advantage of the program are required to maintain the tenancy of residents in good standing and to maintain affordable prices for at least 50 years.
https://bostonagentmagazine.com/2017/10/03/city-nonprofits-turn-focus-affordable-housing/

SourceBoston Agent Magazine

CEDAC provides predevelopment loans to housing in Lexington

The Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation approved $341,500 in predevelopment financing to Pine Grove Village Inc. and Women’s Institute Realty Inc. for the preservation and production of affordable housing, respectively.

In Lexington, Pine Grove Village Inc. received a $130,000 predevelopment loan commitment from CEDAC for the preservation of Pine Grove Village, an existing resident-owned cooperative development. Originally constructed in 1976 with an affordability restriction, the coop residence requires five of the 16 units to be affordable to low-income families, with the remaining units affordable to moderate-income families.

Pine Grove Village Inc. will convert the 11 moderate income units to condominium ownership and transfer the five low-income condo units to the Lexington Housing Authority. New affordability restrictions will be established for the 16 units for 40 additional years under an innovative preservation plan.

For information: https://cedac.org.

http://lexington.wickedlocal.com/news/20171003/strongcedac-provides-predevelopment-loans-to-housing-in-lexington-strong

SourceWicked Local Lexington

Mayor Walsh Announces Vacant Site Acquisition Fund for Affordable Housing

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, along with partners Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), announced the creation of the Vacant Site Acquisition Fund, which will provide new financing options for nonprofit developers to acquire vacant and underutilized land and buildings for affordable housing development.

Using a $2.5 million investment from City funding to leverage $6 million in private funding provided by CEDAC and LISC, the Vacant Site Acquisition program is a critical part of the City’s anti-displacement strategy, and is designed to help nonprofit developers compete in Boston’s real estate market.

 MAYOR WALSH

“Addressing rising housing costs is necessary for preserving the diversity and character that makes Boston a place where all residents can thrive; so we need to continue to think innovatively about ways to give Boston residents more affordable housing options,” said Mayor Walsh. “The Vacant Site Acquisition Program is another important tool in our affordable housing strategy. As our neighborhoods develop and change, it is vital that our nonprofit partners are able to compete in today’s real estate market to acquire developable sites. Boston is lucky to have strong lending partners like CEDAC and LISC who are joining us in fighting displacement by making housing more affordable to neighborhood residents.”

The Vacant Site Acquisition Fund establishes a pilot fund of more than $8 million to provide nonprofit developers with financing to acquire vacant land and underutilized buildings appropriate for the development of mixed income, multi-family housing. The program is a direct result of feedback from Boston’s affordable housing advocates and nonprofit partners, as the nonprofit development community needs the resources and tools to gain control of sites, and to help to preserve affordability in rapidly-changing neighborhoods. The program’s focus on acquiring eligible sites enables nonprofit developers to better compete in the market.

“CEDAC is pleased to partner with the City of Boston and LISC Boston to provide more opportunities for affordable housing development in Boston,” said Roger Herzog, the executive director of the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation. “Under Mayor Walsh’s leadership, the City is taking action to help nonprofit developers successfully compete for developable land and we look forward to implementing this innovative strategy.”

“When the real estate market heats up, community-based developers of affordable housing can be priced out,” said LISC Boston Executive Director Bob Van Meter. “This tool helps them purchase vacant sites to create affordable homes where they are needed most.”

The Vacant Site Acquisition Fund has three components:

  • Site Deposit Assistance: The City is providing short-term bridge loans up to $200,000 at no interest to assist nonprofit developers in putting deposits on potential acquisition sites.
  • Acquisition Fund: A combined $8 million fund, using money contributed by the City, CEDAC, and LISC, will provide quick approval for low interest rate acquisition financing with longer terms to acquire sites and plan for future development.
  • Holding Cost Assistance: The City is providing up to $300,000 at no interest to provide loans that will help defray the cost to developers of holding property for a three to five year period. This funding is necessary because affordable housing can take longer to produce than market-rate housing due to the complexity of funding structures.

The City of Boston, CEDAC, and LISC have adopted a streamlined approval process so nonprofit developers can better compete in the private market. The day-to-day operations of the fund, including screening and selection of applications, will be overseen and managed by CEDAC.

The Vacant Site Acquisition Program is part of the Walsh Administration’s strategy to combat displacement and builds on the foundation of the City’s Acquisition Opportunity Program. The Acquisition Opportunity Program earmarked $7.5 million of Inclusionary Development funds to help responsible investor-owners acquire occupied, multi-family rental properties. Property owners assisted through the program are required to maintain the tenancies of residents in good standing and are also required to maintain affordable rent levels for the units in the property for a minimum of 50 years.

In addition, the City’s efforts to combat displacement and address rapidly changing neighborhoods included the launch of Boston’s first Office of Housing Stability, which provides residents no-cost, one-on-one assistance with issues around tenancy, and Mayor Walsh’s filing of a five-bill anti-displacement legislative package to help existing tenants remain in their home by expanding tenants’ rights, rewarding good landlords, and creating additional funding for affordable housing.

 

Today’s announcement ties into Imagine Boston 2030, Boston’s Citywide plan, which aims to proactively encourage a broad range of housing growth for people of all income levels and stages of life. For more information on Imagine Boston 2030, please visit imagine.boston.gov.

Applications for the Vacant Site Acquisition Fund are currently available, and can be submitted via CEDAC’s web site.

Mayor Walsh Announces Vacant Site Acquisition Fund for Affordable Housing

SourceBoston Real Estate Times

Four-unit housing developments breaks ground Thursday

Community development group Worcester Common Ground will break ground on a new affordable housing complex in a vacant former four-unit condominium building on Jaques Avenue.

The property will be rehabilitated for use as four affordable rental apartments, said Worcester Common Ground in a press release Monday. The property has sat vacant since the 2008 foreclosure crisis.

The community development group representing the Piedmont and Elm Park area are hosting a groundbreaking ceremony at the site at 2 p.m. Thursday. Three units will be affordable to extremely low-income households with incomes up to 30 percent of the area median income. Another unit will be affordable for a family with an income up to 50 percent on the area median income.

Two of the units will provide housing for Massachusetts Department of Mental Health clients, the organization announced.

Worcester Common Ground was awarded $826,000 in March for the project from the Housing Trust Fund, Home Innovation Fund, Facilities Consolidation Fund and the City of Worcester.

The groundbreaking comes after the completion of the city’s first bioshelter, down the street at 7 Jaques Ave. The green space was created through a partnership with Worcester Polytechnic Institute students. Construction began in the summer.

http://www.wbjournal.com/article/20171002/NEWS01/171009996/four-unit-housing-developments-breaks-ground-thursday

SourceWorcester Business Journal

City unveils $8.5m program to help affordable-housing developers

In the midst of Boston’s ongoing development boom, there are few more valuable commodities than a piece of buildable land.

Now City Hall and a couple of local nonprofits are teaming up to help affordable-housing developers compete for some of that property.

The Walsh administration has rolled out an $8.5 million program designed to help nonprofit housing developers acquire vacant and under-used properties that could be used as sites for affordable housing. The city will kick in $2.5 million, along with $6 million from the Community Development Assistance Corp. and the Local Initiatives Support Corp., to create a loan fund to help affordable-housing developers buy sites for projects.

It’s an effort to make them more competitive in a hot market where some investors will buy land and sit on it, waiting for values to rise even higher, said Sheila Dillon, chief of housing for Mayor Martin J. Walsh. And it’s aimed not at high-priced downtown locations, but at underused pockets of neighborhoods around Boston that, ideally, are close to public transportation.

“If you can buy an unused parking lot in, say, Egleston Square for $1 million and put a 40- or 50-unit building on it, that’s kind of the sweet spot,” Dillon said. “We need to take things out of the speculative market.”

Affordable-housing developers often struggle to compete for sites against private builders, who can pay cash and move faster than nonprofits who typically have to cobble together a variety of financing sources to make a project work. Enabling those nonprofits to buy and hold the land, then finance the building separately, could enable them to build more, the program’s creators say.

“When the real estate market heats up, community-based developers of affordable housing can be priced out,” said LISC Boston Executive Director Bob Van Meter. “This tool helps them purchase vacant sites to create affordable homes where they are needed most.”

It’s similar to a $7.5 million program the city launched last year to make it easier for nonprofits to buy apartment buildings and keep rents reasonable. Results of that program have been mixed. There have been successes in East Boston and Roslindale, but in many neighborhoods the money being offered doesn’t go far enough.

Implementing the program has taught city officials some lessons about to how compete with private developers, Dillon said.

“You need to be able to move quickly,” she said. “There are a lot of cash buyers out there.”

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/10/02/city-unveils-program-encourage-affordable-housing-developers/JF2GOYgWxMMi3G3BqFkeZP/story.html?event=event25

SourceBoston Globe

Housing Bond Bill Advances Reauthorizations of Community Investment Tax Credit and Early Education and Out-of-School-Time Capital Fund

United Way praised the Joint Committee on Housing for including two key provisions in the Housing Bond Bill that advanced today on Beacon Hill that would strengthen neighborhoods and early education programs.  The Housing Bond Bill, a comprehensive package aimed at helping more individuals and families secure safe, affordable housing, included reauthorizations of two successful programs: the Community Investment Tax Credit and the Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Fund.

“The legislation reported out favorably today by the Joint Committee on Housing recognizes the comprehensive approach needed to ensure neighborhoods and communities thrive,” said Michael K. Durkin, President and CEO at United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. “More affordable housing is critical, but communities also need high-quality affordable child care and healthy economies. Reauthorization of the Community Investment Tax Credit and the EEOST Capital Fund are positive steps toward advancing economic and neighborhood development in low-income communities.”

The Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Fund (EEOST) program is a unique source of funding for early education and care and afterschool programs throughout the Commonwealth. It supports major renovation and construction projects for facilities serving low-income children. Since the passage of the Housing Bond Bill in 2013, legislation that included a $45 million bond authorization to create the fund to improve the quality of center-based facilities, the EEOST Capital Fund has distributed over $15 million to help organizations modernize their space and improve the quality of the learning environments for children.

“The Commonwealth needs an improved and expanded supply of facilities to meet the demands of families across the state who are looking for convenient, high quality centers for their children,” said Durkin. “High quality, professional facilities, projects that better utilize existing facilities, and those that add additional space for planning and professional development, will allow the Commonwealth to best compete and retain top tier educators.”

The Housing Bond Bill reported out today also includes reauthorization of the Community Investment Tax Credit, which provides a 50% state tax credit for private donations to support the work of community development corporations across Massachusetts.  Since the program’s inception in 2014, United Way has raised over $4 million from donors to support CDCs across the state through the Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC). Nearly $24 million has been raised to support CDCs statewide.

“Every day, in neighborhoods and cities across the Commonwealth, Community Development Corporations (CDCs) are working hard to spur affordable housing and job creation, incubate small businesses and revitalize neighborhoods,” Durkin said. “CDC’s are an important source of innovation. The CITC Program is helping to greatly accelerate and deepen their work, as well as provide new and sustainable sources of funding.”

The Housing Bond bill will now advance to the House Committee on Bonding.

https://unitedwaymassbay.org/news/housing-bond-bill-advances-reauthorizations-of-community-investment-tax-credit-and-early-education-and-out-of-school-time-capital-fund/

SourceUnited Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley

Dedication ceremony for Agawam ‘Soldier On’ facility brings hope and homes to vets (photos)

Soldier On, the Pittsfield-based nonprofit dedicated to ending veteran homelessness by providing permanent, supportive, sustainable housing, held a dedication ceremony Monday afternoon at the Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Community facility, 702 South Westfield St., in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam.

The former Western Massachusetts Regional Police Academy has been transformed into affordable housing for 51 veterans, including 49 partially furnished units in the renovated academy and two units in a new annex to the building.

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, Agawam City Council President James P. Cichetti, and state Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash were among those who spoke at the dedication ceremony.

In the absence of Agawam Mayor Richard A. Cohen, who was traveling back from Boston at the time of the event, Cichetti welcomed the large crowd of dignitaries to Agawam for the ceremony, including veterans and local and state officials.

“On behalf of the City of Agawam, welcome home,” Cichetti, who’s running for mayor, said to the veterans. The candidate praised former state Rep. Rosemary Sandlin for getting the legislative process rolling.

Ash credited Congressman Neal for his ability to get things done for his constituents in Western Massachusetts. “Richie Neal is legendary for delivering things back home to his district,” Ash said.

Ash spoke on behalf of Gov. Charlie Baker, saying nobody who ever wore a U.S. military uniform “should ever struggle to find a place to live.”

State Sen. Donald F. Humason Jr., R-Westfield, state Rep. Nicholas A. Boldyga, R-Southwick, and state Secretary of Veterans’ Services Francisco A. Urena were among the many officials in attendance.

When it was Neal’s turn to speak, he said the dedication of the new facility marked a “great day for Agawam and a great day for Soldier On.” Neal, dean of the state’s congressional delegation in Washington, praised Agawam officials for making the necessary zoning changes to accommodate and support the project.

Linda Mansfield, a member of the Soldier On Board of Directors and wife of the late Gordon H. Mansfield, whom the building is named for, was also on hand.

Gordon Mansfield, a former deputy secretary of Veterans Affairs, was a Pittsfield native and highly decorated Army veteran who survived two tours of duty in Vietnam. As company commander of the 101st Airborne Division, Mansfield sustained a spinal cord injury during the 1968 Tet Offensive, for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross — the second-highest personal decoration for valor in combat.

In July 2010, the former police academy building was transferred to Soldier On through state legislation, allowing for the development of permanent affordable housing for veterans at the Agawam site.

The Agawam project was approved in 2015, with construction beginning in March 2016. The roughly $14 million project was financed through state and federal historic tax credits, in partnership with companies such as Citizens Bank and the Stratford Capital Group.

Soldier On staff will be on site to provide daily support to veterans. The organization also has facilities in Pittsfield, Northampton and Chicopee.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/09/dedication_ceremony_for_soldie.html

SourceMassLive.com

MassHousing Finances New Hyde Park Affordable Housing

MassHousing has closed on $2.1 million in financing to the Traggorth Cos. and the Southwest Boston Community Development Corporation (SWBCDC) for the construction of the 27-unit Residences at Fairmount Station in Hyde Park.

All 27 apartments will be affordable to low- and moderate-income households. MassHousing is providing a $1.8 million permanent loan and $300,000 through the agency’s $100 million Workforce Housing Initiative.

“This transaction typifies many of the housing challenges MassHousing is addressing for Massachusetts residents with a range of incomes,” MassHousing Executive Director Tim Sullivan said in a statement. “The Residences at Fairmount will provide brand new, affordable apartments for lower- and moderate-income households as well as working families while also transforming an underdeveloped parcel into an attractive housing resource for Hyde Park residents. We were very pleased to collaborate with the Traggorth Cos., the Southwest Boston Community Development Corp., the city of Boston and the Baker-Polito Administration to help develop this important new housing.”

Of the 27 units, six will be for low-income households earning at or below 30 percent of the area median income ($31,020 for a family of four) supported a federal Section 8 Housing Assistance Payment Contract; five will be for households with incomes at or below 50 percent of AMI ($51,700 for a family of four); 13 will be for households with incomes at or low 60 percent AMI ($62,040 for a family of four) and three will be workforce housing units for households earning at or below 80 percent AMI ($78,150 for a family of four).

“Southwest Boston CDC is grateful to MassHousing and all of our partners for helping us to create urgently needed affordable housing for Hyde Park families, and to transform this formerly disconnected and underused site into a vital part of the residential neighborhood and commercial district,” SWBCDC Executive Director Erica Schwarz said in a statement.

In addition to the MassHousing financing the project is also receiving financing from the city of Boston, the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development and financing from the allocation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.

The Residences at Fairmount will include one studio unit, three one-bedroom units, 18 two-bedroom units and five three-bedroom units, as well as a community room, green space and outdoor play area. The new housing will be transit-oriented and located across from a Commuter Rail stop.

http://www.bankerandtradesman.com/2017/09/masshousing-finances-new-hyde-park-affordable-housing/?utm_campaign=Daily&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=56377046&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8MHPgZedlFRJIWUSKsEW_s6_xyj1_7udfRQwraqvEv-Xzp0rXM_NEp_lYoQehao-vpxcuQ5RDj6xHGpXpewCkU-F86xg&_hsmi=56377046

SourceBanker & Tradesman

Four Corners toasts new apartments on Washington Street

Officials and Four Corners residents celebrated the new Upper Washington buildings, which includes 35 income-restricted apartments and two commercial spaces on Washington Street, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday.

The Vietnamese American Initiative for Development (VietAID) helmed the $15.3 million project. Its management team was joined at the ceremony by Mayor Martin Walsh, Trinity Management, the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, and other local and state officials.

Since its inception, VietAID has created 88 affordable housing units in four Fields Corner projects, and “we’ve had a successful track record in transforming and improving neighborhoods,” said Kim Thai, president of the organization’s board of directors. “The time, effort and struggles from conception to construction,” he added, “are all well worth the joy and happiness that we witness when new tenants move in.”

Dione Teixeira, 26, drove by the Upper Washington apartments every day while they were under construction, going to and from a small basement she shared with her husband. “I used to say, ‘God, this is my home. It’s not ready yet, but this is my home,’” she said.

She choked back tears on Tuesday next to her new home on Washington Street, where they live with their one-year-old son. “Every day I used to say, ‘God, how am I going to raise my son in this little room?’ And I had my husband also,” she said. “And we used to live there but we never gave up.”

Teixeira and her mother came to Boston from Cape Verde 11 years ago. Her mother dreamed of a new house and Teixeira hoped to build a life for herself. After applications and waiting out the housing lottery, she got the call she had been waiting for – she made it, and so did her mother.

“I don’t know how to explain how happy I am,” she said, welling up. “I don’t know how to say how happy it is to see my mom smile, with her own home. Now she calls it home, and I call it home, too.”

Four Corners Main Streets and the new Four Corners Yoga & Wellness will be the commercial tenants in the complex. The artist Iris DuPont presented artwork inspired by the elements to hang inside the community space.

The project — income restricted for those making under 60 percent area median income — includes 5 one-bedroom, 21 two-bedroom, and 9 three-bedroom units.

“Mixed-use development is an important strategy for establishing and maintaining vitality in today’s neighborhoods,” Thai said, noting that VietAID has had “great success” with 1392 and 1460 Dorchester Ave. and that the organization hopes to replicate that experience with the Upper Washington apartments.

Nine of the units are set aside for formerly homeless families. “That’s something that’s really important for us as a city,” the mayor said. “We’ve housed over 1,100 chronically homeless people in the city of Boston over the last three years. We’ve been able to do it because of projects like this, because projects set aside some apartments and then wrap-around services.”

Upper Washington’s Four Corners location benefits from a nearby health center and a supermarket next door, Walsh noted, along with other resources.

“For three decades, a lot of the lots that we see on Washington Street have been sitting vacant,” he said. “Now we see a lot of mixed-use development happening and bringing these lots to life.”

Upper Washington was funded by the City of Boston and the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), and by tax credit equity provided by RBC Capital Markets. The project architect was Utile and the general contractor was Nauset Construction.

Susan Terry, assistant undersecretary at DHCD, said Gov. Charlie Baker’s $1.287 billion affordable housing bond bill will bolster just this type of project if approved by the legislature.

“We believe we’re most effective when we’re partnering with communities and supporting development that’s bubbling up on the local level,” she said. “This project is a prime example of that kind of community-driven development. And as someone who’s originally from Dorchester, I’m not surprised that the Dorchester community was able to come together and create a project like this that brings work, that brings housing, and that creates a strong community. A place that can keep the tradition of Dorchester alive.”

http://www.dotnews.com/2017/four-corners-toasts-new-apartments-washington-street

SourceDorchester Reporter

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $72 Million to Create, Rehabilitate and Preserve Nearly 2,000 Housing Units

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker announced $72 million in housing subsidy funds and additional state and federal tax credits to 25 projects in 17 communities for the creation, rehabilitation, and preservation of 1,970 housing units across the Commonwealth, including 402 units reserved for very low-income families and families making the transition out of homelessness, building on the Baker-Polito Administration’s commitment to increasing the production and preservation of affordable housing for all residents.

“Safe and affordable housing is a cornerstone to the success of our Commonwealth’s families, including access to job opportunities for many of our most vulnerable populations,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Through our combined efforts and investments to date, over 5,200 affordable housing units are being created, preserved or rehabilitated to support the growth of Massachusetts, our workforce, communities and families.”

The administration is awarding over $72 million in housing subsidy funds, including federal HOME funds and state capital funds. Additionally, the Department of Housing and Community Development is awarding more than $28 million in state and federal low-income housing tax credits, which will generate more than $180 million in equity for these projects. The awards will create or preserve 1,978 rental units, including 1,698 affordable units, in 25 projects across the state. Three projects will reserve units for individuals with disabilities, two are transit-oriented developments and three projects will include Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) units, including a building dedicated to youth aging out of foster care.

“Massachusetts is strongest when all of our families and residents have access to opportunities to thrive,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.“Today’s awards will support affordable housing options for families in communities across the Commonwealth’s, regardless of income or zip code, including projects with housing for low-income or formerly homeless families, individuals with disabilities, veterans and the elderly.”

Governor Baker joined Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash, Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Chrystal Kornegay and MassHousing Executive Director Tim Sullivan to make the funding announcement at Olmsted Green in Mattapan. Olmsted Green is a 38-acre, existing mixed-income housing community on the former site of the Boston State Hospital.

“Today was a big day for housing here in Boston and across the Commonwealth. Not only did we break ground on mixed-income housing units today, we were given the support to continue our work in creating affordable homes for those in this thriving city and create more construction jobs in our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Walsh. “I want to thank the Governor for making these funds available and for supporting important projects like Olmsted Green in Boston.”

Lena New Boston’s efforts are one piece of the larger redevelopment of the former Boston State Hospital into a mix of housing, community and green space. The site includes the Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, which sits on 67 acres. While the site sat vacant after the hospital’s closure in 1979, the past decade has seen the complete transformation of the space, bringing significant affordable and mixed-income housing to the Mattapan neighborhood, with rental and home-ownership opportunities for residents.

The Lena Park Community Development Corporation and New Boston Fund, together known as Lena New Boston LLC, are currently completing a 41-unit affordable, home-ownership development, with previous support from MassHousing’s Workforce Housing Initiative, a joint initiative with DHCD. Lena New Boston will also build an additional 100 units of mixed-income rental housing in the next phase of the development with support from today’s awards.

“Today’s announcement of significant investments in affordable housing represents a key part of the administration’s inclusive strategy to support families and residents, and meet the needs of every community in Massachusetts,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “Creating and preserving housing for families across the income spectrum will allow us to build and retain a skilled workforce across the state, and give our residents access to more opportunities.”

“Our administration is committed to supporting projects that support our most vulnerable communities, from very low-income families, to seniors, veterans and individuals with disabilities,” said Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Chrystal Kornegay. “Affordable housing is a strong tool for community development, and our investments using the Low Income Housing Tax Credit reflect those priorities.”

The 2017 affordable rental housing award round reflects the Baker-Polito Administration’s ongoing commitment to substantially invest in housing across the Commonwealth. In April, Governor Baker filed a housing bond bill seeking $1.287 billion in additional capital authorization to advance the administration’s commitment to affordable housing. In May 2016, the administration unveiled a five-year capital budget plan that includes a $1.1 billion commitment to increasing housing production, an 18% funding increase over previous funding levels. The $1.1 billion capital commitment provides for significant expansions in state support for mixed-income housing production, public housing modernization, and affordable housing preservation.

Since 2015 the Baker-Polito Administration has provided direct funding to create and preserve over 5,200 units of affordable housing across Massachusetts.

In addition, the administration and MassHousing have previously committed $100 million to support the construction of 1,000 new workforce housing units. To date, the Workforce Housing Initiative has advanced the development of 1,317 housing units across a range of incomes, including 387 workforce housing units.

2017 Awardees

Mechanic Mill is a mixed-income historic rehabilitation project located in Attleboro. The project sponsor is WinnDevelopment. When completed, Mechanic Mill will offer 91 total units, with 56 affordable, including 10 units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income (AMI). All 91 units will be reserved for persons who are at least 55 years old.

Burbank Gardens is a preservation project of an existing 52-unit development located in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood. Fenway Community Development Corporation, with assistance from DHCD, MassHousing, and the City of Boston, will rehabilitate and preserve the existing property and restrict 39 of the 52 units for rental to low and moderate-income tenants.

Cote Village is a 76-unit new construction project in Dorchester sponsored by Caribbean Integration Community Development and the Planning Office for Urban Affairs of the Archdiocese of Boston. The City of Boston also will provide substantial support to the project. When completed, Cote Village will include 56 affordable units, including eight units reserved for formerly homeless individuals or families, and several units reserved for persons with disabilities.

General Heath Square Apartments is a 47-unit new construction project in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood. The sponsor is the non-profit Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation. The city of Boston also will provide substantial support to the project. When completed, this transit-oriented project will include 40 affordable units, including 20 units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

Olmsted Green Mixed-Income is a 100‑unit mixed-income new construction project in Boston to be built on the site of the former Boston State Hospital. Previously, the state and the City of Boston have helped finance over 500 units on the former hospital site. Sponsored by the New Boston Fund, the completed project will offer 40 affordable rental units, including 16 units for households earning less than 30 percent of AMI and several units for persons with disabilities. Sixty units within the project will be made available as workforce and market-rate rental units. The City of Boston also will provide funding for this project.

Talbot Commons Phase 1 is a new construction/rehabilitation project located in Boston’s Codman Square neighborhood. The sponsor is the non-profit Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation. The City of Boston also will provide significant support to Talbot Commons. The completed project will offer 40 affordable family units, including nine units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

The Clarion is a new construction mixed-income family housing project to be built on Blue Hill Avenue in Boston. The sponsor is the non-profit The Community Builders (TCB).  The City of Boston also will provide significant support to The Clarion. The site is located near major transit and retail opportunities and will offer 39 total units. Twenty seven units will be affordable, including seven units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.  Several affordable units also will be reserved for persons with disabilities.

Washington Westminster House in Boston is a new construction project sponsored by the non-profit Elizabeth Stone House. The 32-unit project will provide affordable housing as well as support services for at-risk and homeless families. All 32 units will be reserved for households with incomes below 30 percent of AMI. The City of Boston also will provide funds to Washington Westminster House.

Wilshire Westminster in Boston is a scattered-site preservation project sponsored by the non-profit Urban Edge to rehabilitate existing properties consisting of 99 total units for families. Eighty-nine of the rehabilitated units will be affordable, including 10 units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

JAS Consolidation is a scattered-site preservation and production project located in Cambridge and sponsored by the non-profit Just-A-Start Inc. The 112-unit consolidation project includes multiple properties located between Kendall Square and East Cambridge. Several of the properties, including St. Patrick’s Church, were destroyed in a massive fire in December 2016. The fire-impacted properties will be demolished and replaced with new, affordable housing, including 12 units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent AMI. Other properties included in the consolidation will be rehabilitated with support from DHCD and from the City of Cambridge.

MacArthur Terrace in Chicopee is a preservation project, an existing large-scale family development sponsored by Dimeo Properties. The City of Chicopee also will provide support to the project.  When completed, MacArthur Terrace will offer 222 total units, with 182 affordable units, including 44 units for households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

Brownstone Gardens in Easthampton is a preservation project sponsored by Carr Property Management. Originally financed through MassHousing’s Chapter 13A program, the property will be rehabilitated with subsidy funds from DHCD and assistance from MassHousing.  When completed, Brownstone Gardens will offer 132 total units, with 107 affordable units, including 33 units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

Bostwick Gardens in Great Barrington is a new construction/rehabilitation project for seniors sponsored by Berkshire Housing Development Corporation.  The completed project will offer 31 new affordable units for seniors as well as 29 rehabilitated units in an existing building. Eighteen of the total units will be reserved for individuals or couples earning less than 30 percent of AMI.  The non-profit Berkshire Housing Development Corporation will make certain services for seniors available on-site and also will help senior residents access off-site services.

98 Essex in Haverhill is a new construction family housing project sponsored by Affordable Housing and Services Collaborative, Inc. The City of Haverhill also will provide funds to 98 Essex.  When completed, the project will feature 62 total units, all of which are affordable, with seven units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

The Gerson Building in Haverhill is a new construction project sponsored by the non-profit Coalition for a Better Acre.  The City of Haverhill also will provide funds to the Gerson Building. The completed project will offer 44 units for families as well as a preference for households that include veterans.  All 44 units will be affordable, with eight units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

Holyoke Farms Apartments is a large-scale family preservation project located in Holyoke. The sponsor is Maloney Properties, Inc. The City of Holyoke also will provide funds in support of the rehabilitation.  When completed, Holyoke Farms will offer 229 family housing units, with 191 affordable units, including eight units reserved for households earning below 30 percent of AMI and 12 new construction units.

Carter School in Leominster is a historic rehabilitation project sponsored by the non-profit NewVue Communities. The sponsor will rehabilitate a vacant and fire-damaged school building into 39 family housing units. All units will be affordable, including 16 units affordable to households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.  The City of Leominster also will provide funds to the project.

Willis Street Apartments in New Bedford is a new construction project sponsored by the non-profit Women’s Development Corporation. The project will consist of 30 affordable single-room occupancy (SRO) units, and the sponsor will offer a veteran’s preference for each unit.  All units will be affordable, including 23 units reserved for individuals earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

Transitional and Supportive Housing is a scattered-site project located in North Adams and Adams and sponsored by the non-profit Louison House. The sponsor currently operates the only comprehensive shelter program for homeless families in northern Berkshire County. The Transitional and Supportive Housing project will consist of the rehabilitation of 22 family shelter units destroyed by fire as well as the construction of five new permanent housing units for homeless families. All units will be affordable to households earning less than 30 percent of AMI, and the sponsor will provide extensive services to resident families.

King Pine is a large-scale family preservation project located in Orange. The sponsor is The Schochet Companies. The sponsor will rehabilitate this project and extend restrictions on rental rates well into the future. The completed project will offer 234 affordable units, including 24 units affordable to households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

Cape Cod Village is a new construction project in Orleans. The sponsor is the non-profit Cape Cod Village, Inc. When completed, the project will offer 15 affordable housing units and services to persons with disabilities, including autism. DHCD will support Cape Cod Village with subsidy funds, and seven communities on Cape Cod have committed Community Preservation Act or other local funds to the project.

Harbor and Lafayette Homes is a preservation project consisting of two properties, which are single-room occupancy (SRO) buildings, located in Salem. The project sponsor is the non-profit North Shore Community Development Coalition. The City of Salem also will provide funds to the project. When rehabilitation work has been completed, Harbor and Lafayette Homes will offer 27 SRO units. Twenty-six units will be affordable, including seven units reserved for individuals earning less than 30 percent of AMI.  The property located at Harbor Street will provide housing and services to youth aging out of foster care.

The Residences at Salisbury Square is a new construction and adaptive re-use project in Salisbury.  The sponsor is the non-profit YWCA of Greater Newburyport in partnership with L. D. Russo. When completed, the project will offer 42 total units, all of which will be affordable, with 16 units further restricted for rental to households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

Chestnut Crossing is a 104-unit preservation project located in downtown Springfield.  Formerly owned by the YMCA of Springfield, the project now is owned by the non-profit Home City Housing. Home City Housing will rehabilitate the project as single-room occupancy (SRO) units with kitchenettes and baths. The City of Springfield also will provide funds in support of Chestnut Crossing. Seventy-nine of the completed SROs will be affordable, including 26 SROs affordable to individuals earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

Moseley Apartments in Westfield involves the historic rehabilitation of a vacant school building into affordable housing for families. The sponsor is the non-profit Domus; Moseley Apartments will be the sponsor’s second school re-use project in Westfield. When completed, Moseley Apartments will offer 23 affordable units, including six units affordable to households earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

http://www.mass.gov/governor/press-office/press-releases/fy2018/awards-to-create-rehab-and-preserve-2000-housing-units.html#

 

SourceGovernor Charlie Baker Press Office