Following last week’s State of the Commonwealth address, the Healey-Driscoll Administration has announced it has committed resources to produce and preserve more than 1,900 units of housing in 19 communities across Massachusetts.
The announcement was made at a celebration of the Blessed Sacrament Church in Jamaica Plain’s historical adaptive reuse project, where subsidies and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit support for several Bay State housing projects were also announced.
Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities Ed Augustus joined state Sen. Liz Miranda and state Rep. Samantha Montaño.
“These housing projects are a great example of why we expanded the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit in our tax cuts bill,” Healey said. “From a church transformed into mixed-use mixed-income housing in Boston to the re-use of a vacant nursing home as affordable rental housing in Northampton, these funds will make it possible for thousands of Massachusetts residents to afford a home. We look forward to continuing to work to pass the Affordable Homes Act this year to create much-needed housing across all income levels in the state.”
The Affordable Homes Act, if passed, will create thousands of homebuying opportunities for those who right now cannot afford a home in the Bay State. On top of that, Healey says it will inject hundreds of millions of dollars into building programs and first-time homebuyer programs.
During last week’s address, Healey called housing the biggest challenge the state faces, saying now is the time to act to make it easier for everyone to find affordable places to live, and the process is already underway.
State officials raised the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit last fall to $60 million annually (up $20 million from the previous year), as a part of a $1 billion tax relief signed by the governor.
“We are expanding housing opportunities so more people can live, work and stay in Massachusetts,” Driscoll said. “This is just one piece of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s strategy to increase our housing supply and lower costs for hard-working Massachusetts residents.”
Twenty-six projects in 19 communities are included in the plans to preserve and produce more housing including:
- Residences at the Park in Athol
- 135 Dudley St. in Boston
- 775 Huntington in Boston
- Blessed Sacrament in Boston
- Mildred Hailey 3 in Boston
- NUBA Apartments in Boston
- Thatcher Apartments in Brockton
- Clifton Place in Cambridge
- Jackson Place in Cambridge
- Sacred Heart in Cambridge
- 4th at Broadway in Chelsea
- 25 Garvey Street in Everett
- Franklin Ridge Senior Housing in Franklin
- Library Commons 2 in Holyoke
- Prospect Place in Northampton
- Southern Tier in Oak Bluffs
- Schoolhouse Apartments in Rockland
- The Exchange 4%/9% in Salem
- 24 Webster Ave. in Somerville
- Plaza Apartments in South Hadley
- Residences at the Vault in Springfield
- Baldwinville School in Templeton
- Residences at Lawrence Hill in Wellfleet
- WCG Homes in Worcester
“These projects, which will now be built as a result of the increase to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, are a direct result of the governor’s tax relief bill,” Augustus said. “The funding of these projects is proof that housing production for all of our communities is a top priority for the Healey-Driscoll Administration. The governor’s Affordable Homes Act will soon fund even more, much needed, affordable housing in the commonwealth.”
Additionally, two projects serving highly vulnerable populations were also included in the announcements, including Slimine House in Lynn, which will provide 150 affordable senior housing units with a strong health care link, and 99 single-room occupancy units at 900 Morrissey Boulevard in Boston with extensive support services to chronically homeless individuals in a now-vacant hotel.