Baker-Polito Administration Announces Affordable Housing Awards

On February 4, the Baker-Polito Administration announced $44 million in direct aid and tax credit allocations to support 11 projects that will create more than 580 new rental units, including 443 units affordable to low and very-low income households.

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) awarded $44.7 million in direct subsidy funding and allocated $16 million in State and Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Additionally, DHCD has reserved 37 Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program project based vouchers and 68 Housing Choice Section 8 PBVs to support long-term affordability. 

For the Governor's press release, click here.

Affordable Rental Housing Awards
 
Mary D. Stone is an adaptive re-use project located adjacent to town hall in Auburn. The project sponsor, Pennrose, was selected through a town process to redevelop two empty school buildings, one of which is Mary D. Stone. When construction is complete, the former school building will offer 55-units for seniors, including 45 affordable-units for seniors with incomes below 60% of area median income (AMI). Six of the affordable units will be further restricted for seniors earning less than 30% of AMI. DHCD will support Mary D. Stone with federal and state low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) and subsidy funds. The completed project also will offer supportive services to tenants.
 
Bartlett Station Building A is located in Boston. The sponsor is the non-profit Nuestra Comunidad. Bartlett Station Building A is the second phase of a major new construction project for families on a transit-oriented site. Nuestra Comunidad has already completed the first phase, featuring 60-units. The current phase, Bartlett Station Building A, will feature 60 additional new units for families, including 51 affordable to households earning less than 60% of AMI. Sixteen units will be further restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI, including formerly homeless families. DHCD will support Bartlett Station A with federal LIHTC as well as subsidy funds. The City of Boston will support this phase of Bartlett Station with nearly $4 million in local funding.
 
Bowdoin Street is located in Boston. The sponsor is the non-profit Vietnamese-American Initiative for Development, Inc. (Viet-Aid). Bowdoin Street is a new construction, transit-oriented project located near multiple retail and commercial opportunities. The completed project will offer 41-units, all of which will be affordable to low-income households earning less than 60% of AMI. Twelve of the 41 units will be further restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI, including formerly homeless households. DHCD will support the Bowdoin Street project with federal and state LIHTC and subsidy funds. The City of Boston will provide the project with $2.4 million in local funding.
 
Grace Apartments is a new construction project for seniors in East Boston. The sponsor is the East Boston Community Development Corporation, Inc., working with Affirmative Investments. The completed project will offer 42-units for seniors, all of which will be affordable to seniors earning less than 60% of AMI. Ten units will be further restricted for seniors earning less than 30% of AMI, including formerly homeless seniors. The project also will offer supportive services to tenants. DHCD will support Grace Apartments with federal and state LIHTC and subsidy funds. The City of Boston will support the project with $1.7 million in local funding.
 
Creative Class Lofts is a historic mixed-income project to be built in downtown Fall River. The sponsor is Alan Macomber, who recently completed a 103-unit market rate project in Fall River. When completed, Creative Class Lofts will feature 55 total units, with 11 units affordable to individuals or families earning less than 80% of AMI. DHCD will support the project with subsidy funds, and the City of Fall River will support the project with $1.9 million in local funding.
 
Essex Street is a substantial rehabilitation/new construction project located in downtown Lawrence. The sponsor is the non-profit Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Inc. When completed, Essex Street will offer 39 total units, all of which will be affordable to households earning less than 60% of AMI. Twelve units will be further restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI, including households making the transition from homelessness. DHCD will support Essex Street with federal and state LIHTC and subsidy funds. The City of Lawrence also will provide funds in support of this project.
 
Glen Brook Way Apartments is a new construction project for families in Medway. The sponsor is the non-profit Metro West Collaborative, Inc. When completed, the project will offer 48-units, all of which will be affordable to households earning less than 60% of AMI. Fifteen units will be further restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI, including households making the transition from homelessness. DHCD will support Glen Brook Way with federal and state LIHTC and subsidy funds. The Town of Medway will support the project, which was permitted through Chapter 40B, with $1 million in Community Preservation Act funds.
 
Cliftex Phase II is a historic re-use project located in New Bedford. The sponsor is WinnDevelopment, which successfully completed the re-use of the first phase of the former Cliftex mill several years ago. When completed, Cliftex Phase II will offer 71-units for seniors, 56 of which will be affordable to seniors earning less than 60% of AMI. Eight units will be further restricted for seniors earning less than 30% of AMI, including formerly homeless seniors. When Phase II is completed, the full Cliftex complex will offer 147 units, primarily affordable, for seniors. The development also will offer supportive services to new residents. DHCD will support Cliftex Phase II with federal and state LIHTC and subsidy funds.  The City of New Bedford also will provide local funds in support of this project.
 
Golda Meir Expansion is a new construction project for seniors to be built in Newton. The sponsor is the non-profit 2Life Communities. The new project will be constructed adjacent to the existing, highly successful Gold Meir project, developed by the same sponsor. The Golda Meir campus is transit-oriented: it is located less than half a mile from an MBTA subway stop on the Green Line. The campus also is located less than half a mile from Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Golda Meir Expansion will feature 68 new units for seniors, including 50 units restricted for seniors earning less than 60% of AMI. Twenty units will be further restricted for seniors earning less than 30% of AMI, including formerly homeless seniors. Supportive services will be available at Golda Meir Expansion as well as at the existing Golda Meir building. When construction is completed on the expansion, the campus will feature 267 total units for seniors, primarily affordable. DHCD will support the project with federal and state LIHTC and subsidy funds. The City of Newton will support the project with $3.2 million in local funding.
 
Haywood House is a new construction project for seniors in Newton. The sponsor is the Newton Housing Authority, and the project will be constructed adjacent to an existing housing authority project for seniors. When completed, Haywood House will offer 55-units for seniors, of which 32 will be affordable to seniors earning less than 60% of AMI. Eleven units will be further restricted for seniors earning less than 30% of AMI, including formerly homeless seniors. The completed project will feature supportive services available to the new tenants. DHCD will support Haywood House with federal and state LIHTC and subsidy funds. The City of Newton also will support the project with $3.6 million in local funding.
 
North Commons at Village Hill is a new construction project to be built on the site of the long-closed Northampton State Hospital. The sponsor is the non-profit The Community Builders (TCB). The sponsor previously completed two other housing projects, with 73 total units, on the former hospital site, with a third project with 12 additional units under construction. Thus, North Commons at Village Hill will be the sponsor’s fourth housing project on the former state hospital site. When completed, North Commons at Village Hill will feature 53-units, with 39-units restricted for households earning less than 60% of AMI. Twelve units will be further restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI, including households making the transition from homelessness. DHCD will support North Commons at Village Hill with federal and state LIHTC and subsidy funds. The City of Northampton also will provide local funds in support of this project.