Mayor Michelle Wu today joined the Hyde Square Task Force, affordable housing developers, and community organizations at the site of the former Blessed Sacrament church to announce $67 million in new recommended funding from the Mayor’s Office of Housing, the Community Preservation Fund, and the Neighborhood Housing Trust (NHT) to create and preserve more than 800 income-restricted units of housing in eight Boston neighborhoods. The Blessed Sacrament site is one of the projects that will be funded. The ambitious portfolio consists of 17 projects with a total of 802 units of mixed-income housing that includes rental housing for families, while also creating new homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income Bostonians. Of the 802 units, 160 will be income restricted housing for seniors. These proposed projects meet the Mayor’s Office of Housing standards for zero-emissions buildings and represent transit-oriented, green development.
“We are partnering with community and using every tool that the City has to urgently address Boston’s housing crisis,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “These housing awards represent significant investments in making our communities stronger and more affordable, ensuring that Boston remains a place that current residents, families and future generations can call home. I’m grateful to the Neighborhood Housing Trust and the Community Preservation Committee for their leadership and as we continue our work to build a Boston for everyone.”
In 2022, the City of Boston released two Requests for Proposals (RFP) offering funds for affordable housing developments. The Mayor’s Office of Housing, the Community Preservation Committee, and the Neighborhood Housing Trust evaluated the proposals and prioritized 17 projects. These projects will promote City goals to affirmatively further fair housing, and will efficiently utilize City resources and land to increase the supply of housing available to low- and moderate-income households.
The RFPs required developers to support and implement the City of Boston’s equity & inclusion goals. Projects where BIPOC individuals and entities represented 25% or more of the development team leadership received a high preference for the funding awards. Development teams where 25% or more of soft costs go to MBE subcontractors also received this advantage. Applicants were also required to provide information on how services offered in multifamily buildings will help support the economic mobility of residents who will live in income-restricted housing units.
“The funding being made available today will assist with the creation and preservation of 800 affordable homes. These high quality, green developments are located in neighborhoods throughout the City and will provide our residents stable housing options that they can afford,” said Sheila Dillon, Chief of Housing. "This portfolio of projects includes both rental and homeownership opportunities, family, senior housing and supportive housing. All of these developments will benefit and strengthen our residents, our communities and our City.”
"The development of housing that is accessible to residents at a variety of income levels is critically important to the future of Boston," said Kenan Bigby, Managing Director of Trinity Financial, Inc. "We are thankful for the City of Boston's support of the project at 2085 Washington. These funds will allow us to develop needed affordable homeownership opportunities in Roxbury."
All the new construction projects funded in this round will be required to follow the Zero Emissions Building (ZEB) requirements outlined in the MOH Design Standards. Developers were required to submit and adhere to a Net Zero Strategy as part of the design submission. New developments will use electricity and on-site solar panels as the sole (or primary) fuel source.
“South Boston NDC is grateful for funding support from the City of Boston, which will allow us to create affordable senior housing for our most vulnerable residents,” said Donna Brown, Executive Director of the South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation. “Funding for McDevitt Senior Homes will enable elderly residents to age in community, with the supportive services they need. We applaud the City’s commitment to providing critical resources to address our housing needs.”
The new funding for income-restricted housing was made possible in part by more than $32.5 million in municipal and federal funds administered by the Mayor’s Office of Housing. More than $13.9 million in funds come from the NHT through the City's Linkage policy, which extracts affordable housing funds from developers of large commercial projects.
"We're proud to continue to support the Neighborhood Housing Trust through the work we do at the Boston Planning & Development Agency,” said Chief of Planning Arthur Jemison. “In 2022, the BPDA Board approved new development projected to generate approximately $40.7 million in linkage fees to support affordable housing in Boston. I am hopeful that there will be even more funding to go towards new, affordable homes for Bostonians, in the years to come.”
The Community Preservation Committee is recommending more than $20.4 million for the proposed projects. These projects are part of a larger award that includes income-restricted housing, historic preservation, and open space projects. The final slate of CPA-recommended projects will go to the City Council for review and approval in February.
"Building and preserving affordable housing is critical for the health and vibrancy of our communities in Boston," said Felicia Jacques, Chair of the Community Preservation Committee. "As housing costs continue to rise, many families and individuals are being priced out of the city, exacerbating displacement and a loss of diversity. The Community Preservation Committee is committed to investing in well-designed, climate-ready affordable housing initiatives that provide safe and stable homes for our residents. By doing so, we ensure that our communities remain inclusive while supporting economic growth and sustainability. Investing in affordable housing is an investment in the future of our city and the well-being of our residents."
"As Boston continues to grow and thrive, it's critical that we prioritize affordable housing to ensure that our communities remain diverse and inclusive," said Catherine Hardaway, chair of the Neighborhood Housing Trust. "Affordable housing not only provides stable, quality homes for families and individuals, but also supports economic development and social equity. The Neighborhood Housing Trust is dedicated to advancing affordable housing solutions in Boston, working in partnership with developers, community groups, and residents. By investing in affordable housing, we can build stronger, more resilient neighborhoods that provide opportunities for all residents to thrive."
In addition to these City sources, the Mayor’s Office of Housing has at its disposal significant federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that can be used for income-restricted housing development. In July, the Boston City Council approved Mayor Wu’s precedent-setting investment in income-restricted housing from ARPA funds, committing more than $205 million to address specific housing issues. These investments include:
The following is a complete list of the proposals that are receiving funding from the Mayor’s Office of Housing and NHT, as well as recommended projects for inclusion in the current round of the CPA funding:
ALLSTON
CHINATOWN
DORCHESTER
JAMAICA PLAIN
MATTAPAN
MISSION HILL
ROXBURY
SOUTH BOSTON
To help choose appropriate developments for funding and best achieve the City’s goals to create equitable mixed-income housing, the City of Boston established funding priorities that were adhered to while making these awards. Proposals submitted were expected to fall under at least one of the priority criteria:
About the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH)
The Mayor’s Office of Housing is responsible for housing people experiencing homelessness, creating and preserving income-restricted housing, and ensuring that renters and homeowners can obtain, maintain, and remain in safe, stable housing. The department develops and implements the City of Boston’s housing creation and homelessness prevention plans and collaborates with local and national partners to find new solutions and build more housing income-restricted to all, particularly those with lower incomes. For more information, please visit the MOH website.
About the Neighborhood Housing Trust Fund (NHT)
The NHT Fund supports homeownership, rental, cooperative, transitional, and permanent housing developments. The fund provides financing for projects serving households earning at or below 50% AMI and gives preference to populations that face barriers in securing housing, including seniors and people with disabilities. Funding is awarded as gap financing, and each applicant may receive no more than $750,000 per project. Priority is given to projects serving the greatest number of low-income households. The program also has a preference for projects that are near transit, and include family-sized units with two or more bedrooms. Boston's Neighborhood Housing Trust Fund is funded through a commercial project linkage payment fee system.
About the Community Preservation Act (CPA)
After Boston voters adopted the CPA in November 2016, the City created a Community Preservation Fund. This fund is capitalized primarily by a one percent property tax-based surcharge on residential and business property tax bills that began in July 2017. The City uses this revenue to fund initiatives consistent with statewide CPA guidelines: income-restricted housing, historic preservation, open space, and public recreation. The funding of any project requires a recommendation from the Community Preservation Committee and appropriation by the City. For more information, please visit the Community Preservation webpage.