Baker-Polito Administration Awards $105.7 Million for New Affordable Housing

On October 21, the Baker-Polito Administration announced the 2020 Affordable Rental Housing Awards. The awards will result in the production or preservation of more than 2,400 housing units, including 2,166 affordable rental units in communities across the Commonwealth. This round of awards provides more than $105.7 million in direct funding and allocated $53 million in state and federal tax credits to 28 projects in 19 communities.

The $53 million allocation of state and federal tax credits will create approximately $370 million in equity for project sponsors. This award round includes eight projects that will build new affordable housing for seniors, five adaptive reuse projects that will turn historic buildings into new housing, and six projects that will preserve existing affordable housing and ensure communities maintain affordability. More than 20% of the total units will be affordable to extremely low-income households.

2020 Affordable Housing Awards
 
Julia Bancroft School is one of two closed school buildings that the town of Auburn has made available for development. The town selected Pennrose Developer through a locally led process to rehabilitate both schools as senior housing. DHCD will support the redevelopment of the Julia Bancroft School, with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. When work is complete, the project will offer 60 residential units. Forty‑five units will be affordable to seniors earning less than 60% of area median income (AMI), with six units further restricted for seniors earning less than 30% of AMI.  As required by DHCD, the sponsor will make supportive services available to senior residents of Julia Bancroft.
 
Anchor Point I is the first phase of a two-phase new construction project in Beverly.  The project sponsor is the non-profit Harborlight Community Partners. DHCD will support the project with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The City of Beverly also will support the project with local funds. When complete, Anchor Point I will offer 38 rental units affordable to households earning less than 60% of AMI, with ten units further restricted for extremely low-income households earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
250 Centre Street is a new construction project in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood.  The sponsor is the non-profit The Community Builders (TCB). 250 Centre Street will be TCB’s second project located in close proximity to the Jackson Square subway/bus terminal. Over the past decade, TCB and several other non-profit developers have built over 400 units in various prime locations on Centre Street, as well as several hundred additional units nearby. DHCD will support 250 Centre Street with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The City of Boston also will support the project with local funds and 250 Centre Street will offer 110 mixed-income residential units. Fifty-six units will be affordable to households earning less than 60% of AMI, with 15 units further restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI and making the transition from homelessness.
 
288 Harrison Residences is a new construction project in Boston. The sponsor is Beacon Communities.  DHCD will support Harrison Residences with project-based vouchers. The City of Boston will support the project with local funds. The project will offer 85 total residential units for families, with 17 units restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI, including households making the transition from homelessness.
 
3368 Washington Street is a new construction, mixed-income project in Jamaica Plain. The project sponsors are the non-profits Pine Street Inn, Inc., and The Community Builders. The project is transit-oriented and located near numerous retail and service opportunities. DHCD will support the project with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The City of Boston also will provide significant funding in support of 3368 Washington Street. When complete, the project will offer 202 total units, with 156 units restricted for individuals earning less than 30% of AMI. In most cases, these individuals will be transitioning from homelessness and eligible to receive extensive support services from Pine Street Inn.
 
41 LaGrange Street 4% and 9% are the two components of a new construction tower in downtown Boston, on the edge of Chinatown. The LaGrange Street project is transit-oriented and located less than half a mile from a major Boston hospital. The sponsor is the non-profit St. Francis House, Inc., in partnership with the non-profit Planning Office of Urban Affairs (Archdiocese of Boston). The two non-profits previously worked together on a now-completed adaptive re-use project on the same site. DHCD will support LaGrange Street 4% and 9% with federal and state low income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The City of Boston also will support the project with local funds. When complete, LaGrange Street will offer 94 total units of mixed-income housing.  Many units will be affordable to households earning less than 60% of AMI, including up to 50 units further restricted for extremely low-income households earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
41 North Margin Street is a new construction project in Boston’s historic North End.  The sponsor is the non-profit East Boston Community Development Corporation, with Affirmative Investments serving as consultant. DHCD will support this project for seniors with low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The City of Boston also will support the project with substantial local funds. When completed, 41 North Margin will offer 23 units affordable to seniors earning less than 60% of AMI.  Six units will be further restricted for seniors earning less than 30% of AMI and making the transition from homelessness.  As required by DHCD, the non-profit sponsor also will make supportive services available to residents of 41 North Margin Street.
 
Bartlett Station D is a new construction project near Nubian Square in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood. The sponsor is the non-profit Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), working with the non-profit Nuestra Comunidad.  Bartlett Station D will be the third project on this prime site on Washington Street, with several additional projects still in the development phase. DHCD will support the project with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The City of Boston also will provide funds to Bartlett Station D, which will offer 50 units of housing for seniors.  Forty-four units will be restricted for seniors earning less than 60% of AMI, with eight units further restricted for seniors earning less than 30% of AMI and transitioning from homelessness.  As required by DHCD, POAH and Nuestra Comunidad will make supportive services – including health care services – available to residents of Bartlett Station D.
 
Four Corners Plaza is a new construction project in Dorchester.  The sponsor is the non-profit Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation. DHCD will support the project with low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds; the project is expected to move to construction early in 2021.  When completed, Four Corners Plaza will offer 35 units of housing affordable for households earning less than 60% of AMI.  Eight units will be further restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI and making the transition from homelessness.
 
J.J. Carroll is a new construction project for seniors, built to Passive House standards, in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston. The sponsor is the non-profit 2Life Communities.  The new development will create in 142 additional units on a site adjacent to 2Life’s existing residential campus and offices. DHCD will support J.J. Carroll with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The City of Boston also will provide substantial support to the project with local funds. J.J. Carroll will offer 142 total units, with 141 units affordable to seniors earning less than 60% of AMI. Twenty‑nine units will be further restricted for seniors earning less than 30% of AMI, and, in many cases, transitioning from homelessness. The new project will be connected to the existing senior properties on the 2Life campus; new tenants will have access to the robust services offered to all residents of the campus. 2Life also intends to enter into a partnership with the healthcare provider P.A.C.E. to help serve tenants’ medical needs.
 
Mission Main is a large-scale preservation/rehabilitation project located in Boston. The sponsor is WinnDevelopment. The project – originally one of the largest public housing projects in Boston – consists of multiple buildings with over 500 rental units. Mission Main is located on Huntington Avenue, a few blocks from the Museum of Fine Arts, Northeastern University, and the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston. Mission Main previously received funding from the federal HOPE VI program as well as state support for an earlier rehabilitation project. The construction work now proposed will result in extensive necessary rehabilitation to most of the buildings and units in the project. DHCD will support the rehabilitation with federal and state low-income housing tax credits. When work is complete, Mission Main will feature 535 total units.  Four hundred forty-five units will be affordable to households earning less than 60% of AMI, with 81 units further restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
Walando Homes is an occupied preservation/rehabilitation project located in Dorchester. The sponsor is the non-profit Codman Square Community Development Corporation. The project includes separate properties on Orlando Street and Waldeck Street.  DHCD will support Walando Homes with federal and state low income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The City of Boston also will support the project with local funds. Fifty-nine units at Walando Homes will be fully rehabilitated with 58 units restricted for households earning less than 60% of AMI.  Fifteen units will be further restricted for extremely low-income households earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
Brewster Woods is a new construction project in Brewster.  The sponsor is the non-profit Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) in partnership with the non‑profit Housing Assistance Corporation. DHCD will support Brewster Woods with federal low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The Town of Brewster also will provide its own funds in support of the project. When complete, Brewster Woods will offer 30 new units affordable to households earning less than 60% of AMI with seven units further restricted for extremely low-income households earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
McElwain School is a combined rehabilitation/new construction located in Bridgewater. The sponsor is MPZ Main Street, LLC. The project consists of the rehabilitation of a vacant school as well as the construction of new units intended to meet Passive House design standards. DHCD will support McElwain School with federal and state low income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The Town of Bridgewater will support the project with Community Preservation Act funds. When complete, the project will offer 57 units of mixed-income housing with fifty-one units restricted for households earning less than 60% of AMI, and six units further restricted for extremely low-income households earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
Brockton Enterprise Center 4% and 9% are the two housing components of an 111‑unit project in Brockton. The sponsor is Trinity Financial, Inc. Trinity Financial completed a related project on the same site several years ago. DHCD will support Brockton Enterprise Center 4% and 9% with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds.  The City of Brockton also will support the overall project with local funds. When completed, the total project will feature 111 mixed-income units. Fifty-eight units will be affordable to households earning less than 60% of AMI, with 12 units further restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
181 Chestnut is an existing market-rate project in Chelsea that will be converted to mixed-income rental housing. The sponsor is the non-profit The Neighborhood Developers (TND). The sponsor will acquire the 32-unit project from a private owner and, over time, convert it into a mixed-income property, with ten market rate units and 22 units affordable to households earning less than 60% of AMI. Eight of the 22 units will be further restricted for extremely low-income households earning less than 30% of AMI.  DHCD will support 181 Chestnut with subsidy funds, and the City of Chelsea will also provide local funds.
 
Christopher Heights of Concord is a new construction assisted living project in Concord. The sponsor is The Grantham Group. DHCD will support the project with federal low income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The project will offer 83 new units of senior housing with services. Forty-three units will be restricted for seniors earning less than 60% of AMI, with 17 units further restricted for extremely low-income seniors earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
Oxford School Residences is an adaptive-re-use/new construction project located in Fairhaven. The project sponsor is Stratford Capital Group, working in partnership with the non-profit CHOICE. DHCD will support Oxford School Residences with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The project consists of ten units of adaptive re-use in the former Oxford School and 42 units in the new construction. When construction is complete, 45 of the 54 total units will be reserved for seniors earning less than 60% of AMI, with 11 units further restricted for seniors earning less than 30% of AMI.  As required by DHCD, the sponsor also will offer supportive services to residents.
 
Gifford Workforce II is the second phase of a small-scale new construction project in Falmouth. The sponsor is the non-profit Falmouth Housing Corporation with the consultant Affirmative Investments.  Gifford Workforce I is the earlier phase of this project, which is under construction and nearing completion. DHCD will support Gifford Workforce II with subsidy funds. The Town of Falmouth also is providing its own funds in support of Gifford Workforce II. Gifford Workforce II will offer ten units affordable to individuals or households earning less than 60% of AMI.
 
Cleghorn Preservation Project is an occupied rehabilitation project in Fitchburg.  The sponsor is the non-profit NewVue Communities. The project consists of three separate, occupied buildings in need of rehabilitation. DHCD will support the project with subsidy funds, and the City of Fitchburg will provide local funds. Cleghorn Preservation Project will offer 29 fully‑rehabilitated units, with 26 units restricted for individuals or households earning less than 60% of AMI. Three units will be further restricted for individuals or households earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
Holbrook Center Senior Housing is a new construction project  in Holbrook.  The sponsor is the non-profit NeighborWorks Housing Solutions. DHCD will support the project with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The Town of Holbrook will support the project with local funds. The project is designed to meet Passive House standards. When complete, the project will offer 72 new units for seniors in a location near the center of town. Seventy units will be reserved for seniors earning less than 60% of AMI, with 18 units further restricted for extremely low-income seniors earning less than 30% of AMI.  As required by DHCD, the sponsor will provide supportive support services to senior residents of the completed project.
 
Island Parkside Phase 1 is a new construction project in Lawrence. The sponsor is the non-profit Lawrence Community Works. DHCD will support the project with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The City of Lawrence will support the project with local funds. Island Parkside Phase 1 will offer 40 new rental units for households earning less than 60% of AMI, with 16 units further restricted for extremely low-income households earning less than 30% of AMI. 
 
Southbridge Mills is a historic adaptive reuse project located in Southbridge. The sponsor is Southbridge Housing LLC. The project consists of the rehabilitation to historic standards of a vacant mill building located within a larger mill complex. DHCD will support Southbridge Mills with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. When complete, Southbridge Mills will offer 48 total units. All 48 units will be restricted for households earning less than 60% of AMI, with five units further restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
Baystate Place Apartments is an occupied preservation/rehabilitation project located in Springfield. The sponsor is Beacon Communities. DHCD will support the project with federal 4% and state low income housing tax credits as well as subsidy funds. The City of Springfield also will provide funds to the project.  With state, city, and private financing, Beacon Communities will rehabilitate 346 units at Baystate Place Apartments. Three-hundred-twenty-nine units will be restricted for households earning less than 60% of AMI, with 35 units further restricted for extremely low-income households earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
Elias Brookings School Apartments is an adaptive re-use project located in Springfield. The sponsor is the non-profit Home City Development. DHCD will support the project with federal low-income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The City of Springfield will support the project with local funds. When complete, the former Brookings School, which was severely damaged by a tornado, will offer 42 total units for families.  All 42 units will be affordable to households earning less than 60% of AMI, with 14 units further restricted for families earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
Sunderland Senior Housing is a new construction project in Sunderland. The sponsor is the non-profit Rural Development, Inc. with the consultant Valley Community Development Corporation. DHCD will support the project with federal low income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. When complete, the project will offer 33 total units for seniors.  All 33 units will be restricted for seniors earning less than 60% of AMI, with 12 units further restricted for extremely low-income seniors earning less than 30% of AMI.
 
Perlman House Apartments is an adaptive re-use project located in Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard. The sponsor is the non-profit Island Housing Trust Corporation. Perlman House consists of the adaptive re-use of a former Tisbury inn. DHCD will support the project with subsidy funds, and Perlman House will receive Community Preservation Act funds. MassHousing will support the project with funds from its Workforce Housing program. When completed, the project will offer seven mixed-income rental units intended to serve individuals or families earning from 50% to 80% of AMI.
 
Grand Street Commons is a new construction project in Worcester. The sponsor is the non-profit Main South Community Development Corporation. DHCD will support the project with federal low income housing tax credits and subsidy funds. The City of Worcester also will provide funds in support of Grand Street Commons. When completed, the project will offer 48 new rental units in a mixture of townhouses and flats. Forty-six units will be restricted for households earning less than 60% of AMI, with 10 units further restricted for extremely low-income households earning less than 30% of AMI.