PATRICK-MURRAY ADMINISTRATION PLEDGES $71 MILLION TO BUILD, PRESERVE 1,642 HOUSING UNITS

Projects will create an estimated 2,000 construction jobs across Massachusetts

BOSTON, MA – February 21, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — As part of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s ongoing commitment to build strong communities by increasing affordable housing options, creating jobs and expanding economic opportunity, Governor Deval Patrick today pledged $71.37 million in resources from various affordable housing programs to support the construction of 31 rental developments in 21 communities across the Commonwealth. These funds will create an estimated 2,000 construction jobs.”By investing this targeted blend of funds to spur housing development, we are actively strengthening our communities across Massachusetts,” said Governor Patrick. “Creating affordable housing helps to generate jobs, grow local businesses, and build a better, stronger Commonwealth.”

“These projects will create more affordable housing opportunities in communities across the state,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, Chair of the Interagency Council for Housing and Homelessness. “By supporting these projects, we are also delivering options to a greater population of individuals and families, including those who earn modest wages and those transitioning from homelessness to permanent, sustainable living.”

Once completed, the developments will create or preserve 1,642 units of rental housing including 1,415 affordable units for low-and moderate income families. 246 of the affordable units will be targeted for families earning less than 30 percent of the area median income. The following communities will benefit from these new developments: Barnstable, Berlin, Boston (7 projects), Cambridge (3 projects), Chelsea, Easton, Hanover, Hingham, Lawrence, Leominster, Northbridge, Pittsfield, Provincetown (2 projects), Quincy, Revere, Salem, Springfield (2 projects), Sudbury, Tyngsborough, Wareham, and Worcester.

“The federal-state partnership to redevelop St. Joseph’s Church in Salem is truly an economic win-win for our community: more working families will have access to the safe and affordable housing options they need, and as a result, over 100 new jobs are expected to be created to help grow our local economy,” said Congressman John Tierney.

“The six projects receiving funding in my district will create affordable housing options at a time when they’re most needed,” said Congressman William Keating.  “One will be providing housing for homeless veterans; another is in the pre-construction phase and will thus create jobs in our community.  All in all, this funding is a win for the State’s South Shore and Cape communities.  I commend Governor Patrick for directing this funding to such worthwhile programs.”

“An investment in housing is an investment in jobs and in our neighborhoods and I’m proud the Commonwealth has reaffirmed its commitment to these values.  Strong and vibrant communities are created when all our fellow citizens have access to safe and affordable housing close to their work and local schools,” said Representative Kevin G. Honan, Chairman of the Joint Committee on Housing.

“Out of the 1,642 housing units supported through today’s awards, 246 are targeted to extremely low-income individuals and families,” said Department of Housing & Community Development Undersecretary Tina Brooks. “There is no better way to strengthen neighborhoods and put an end to homelessness than to create more permanent housing opportunities that are affordable to those at all income levels.”

During the Patrick-Murray Administration’s first term, the Administration provided funding commitments to over 200 affordable housing projects, representing 9,417 total units. 8,543 of those units are affordable. Within the affordable unit count, 1,473 units are reserved for individuals or households earning less than 30 percent of the area median income.

RENTAL AWARDS

• Cromwell Court (Barnstable)
  The Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) will use $378,933 in federal low-income housing tax credits and an additional $3,000,000 in DHCD program subsidies to rehabilitate 124 units of rental housing, 112 of which will be affordable. 13 units will be set aside for extremely low-income residents.  It is expected to create 24 new jobs.
• Northbrook Village II (Berlin)
  The Montachusett Home Care Corporation and Berlin Retirement Homes, Inc. will use $2,076,000 in DHCD program subsidies to complete the construction of a new 40-unit building for low-income, elderly tenants. 39 of the units will be affordable.  It is expected to create 68 new jobs.
• 225 Centre Street (Boston)
  Mitchell Properties and The Community Builders will use $503,988 in federal low-income housing tax credits, $2,300,000 in state issued low-income housing tax credits, and another $2,000,000 in DHCD program subsidies to complete a comprehensive, multi-phase, transit-oriented, green redevelopment project that will create 103 rental units, including 35 affordable units. 10 of these units will be reserved for extremely low-income families.  The project is expected to generate 276 jobs.
• Codman Washington Apartments (Boston)
  Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation will use $539,740 in federal low-income housing tax credits and an additional $4,305,356 in DHCD program subsidies to preserve existing affordable housing and for the production of new affordable units. Of the 80 affordable housing units, 8 will be dedicated for extremely low-income families.  The project is anticipated to create 55 jobs.
• Lucerne Gardens (Boston)
  Trinity Financial will use $349,665 in federal low-income housing tax credits, $506,081 in state issued low-income housing tax credits, and an additional $2,211,381 in DHCD program subsidies to rehabilitate 45 rental units. 36 of the units will be affordable, and 5 will be for extremely low-income families.  The project is anticipated to create 57 jobs.
• Renwood Housing For PWA (Boston)
  The Cushing Companies will use $998,333 in DHCD program subsidies for the rehabilitation of 24 units of affordable housing.  These units are reserved for previously homeless individuals and families living with AIDS. 19 of the units will be for reserved for extremely low-income families.  The project is expected to create 11 jobs.
• Uphams West (Boston)
  The project will use $1,425,000 in DHCD program subsidies to renovate two existing buildings in order to create 13 affordable units for low-income families, including 5 units reserved for formerly homeless families. The project is anticipated to create 18 new jobs.
• Urban Edge Limited Partnership Apartments (Boston)
  Urban Edge will use $545,251 in federal low-income housing tax credits and an additional $2,000,000 in DHCD program subsidies to make necessary upgrades to 82 units of affordable rental housing, 9 of which are set aside for extremely low-income families.  The project is expected to create 64 jobs.
• Worcester House (Boston)
  Caritas Communities will use $1,000,000 in DHCD program subsidies to renovate and preserve 16 affordable single-room occupancy (SRO) units in a high-demand neighborhood.  2 units will be set aside for formerly homeless individuals.  The rehabilitation is anticipated to create 13 jobs.
• Cambridge Court Rehab (Cambridge)
  Silver Street Development will use $3,000,000 in DHCD program subsidies to support the rehabilitation of this 122-unit, age-restricted (55 and older) development, including major systems and fire safety upgrades.  The building includes 92 affordable rental units.  The project is expected to create 46 jobs.
• Cambridge YWCA SRO (Cambridge)
  The Cambridge YWCA will use $3,887,348 in DHCD program subsidies to substantially rehabilitate 103 affordable Single Room Occupancy (SRO) affordable rental units for women.  26 of the units will be for homeless and extremely low-income women.  The project is anticipated to create 70 jobs.
• Central House (Cambridge)
  Caritas Communities will receive $241,558 in federal low-income housing tax credits and $2,385,592 in DHCD program subsidies to complete improvements and safety upgrades to this 128-unit, licensed Single Room Occupancy (SRO) building. 13 of the units will be reserved for extremely low-income individuals.  The upgrades are expected to create 37 new jobs.
• Highland Terrace (Chelsea)
  Chelsea Neighborhood Developers will use $720,000 in federal low-income housing tax credits and $2,015,164 in DHCD program subsidies to build a new 32-unit affordable rental development that will include 4 units for extremely low-income families.  The project is expected to generate 52 jobs.
• Ames Shovel Works (Easton)
  Beacon Communities will use $619,940 in federal low-income housing tax credits, $1,262,712 in state issued low-income housing tax credits, and another $1,000,000 in DHCD program subsidies to support the conversion of historic industrial buildings into 119 units of mixed-income rental housing.  30 units will be affordable; 12 will be set aside for extremely low-income families. The project is expected to create 251 jobs.
• Barstow Village (Hanover)
  EA Fish Development and the Planning Office of Urban Affairs will use $1,000,000 in federal low-income housing tax credits and an additional $2,300,000 in DHCD program subsidies to construct 66 new units of affordable rental housing for residents 62 years of age or older. 10 of the units will be reserved for extremely  low-income households.  It is expected to generate 72 jobs.
• Fort Hill Veterans Housing (Hingham)
  Father Bills and MainSpring Inc. will use $750,000 in DHCD program subsidies to complete renovations and new construction of a 6 Single Room Occupancy (SRO) units that will house homeless veterans. 2 of the units will be reserved for extremely low-income individuals.  The project is anticipated to create 5 jobs.
• Malden Mills (Lawrence)
  College Street Management and Winn Development will use $96,000 in federal low-income housing tax credits to convert two historic mill buildings into 75 units of mixed-income rental housing.  Of the 75 rental units, 72 will be affordable and 8 of those will be reserved for extremely low-income households. The project is expected to create 194 jobs.
• Whitney Building (Leominster)
  Twin Cities Community Development Corporation will use $686,300 in federal low-income housing tax credits and another $3,373,913 in DHCD program subsidies for the adaptive re-use a historic building, turning it into 40 units of affordable rental housing, 4 of which will be for extremely low-income households.  The redevelopment is expected to generate 98 jobs.
• Linwood Mill Senior Housing (Northbridge)
  EA Fish Development will use $60,100 in federal low-income housing tax credits for the redevelopment of a historic mill building that will create 75 units of affordable elderly rental housing.  8 of the units will be reserved for extremely low-income households.  The project is anticipated to create 98 jobs.
• Rice Silk Mill (Pittsfield)
  Rees-Larkin Development LLC will use $1,000,000 in federal low-income housing tax credits and an additional $2,541,800 in DHCD program subsidies to convert a vacant former mill building into 45 rental housing units for individuals and families.  43 of the units will be affordable, 5 of which will be reserved for extremely low-income households.  It is expected to generate 97 jobs.
• 83 Shank Painter Road (Provincetown)
  Community Housing Resources will use $737,829 in DHCD program subsidies to renovate an existing mixed-use structure as well as create 15 new affordable residential units.  2 units will be dedicated for extremely low-income households. This project is expected to create or retain 7 jobs.
• Province Landing (Provincetown)
  The Community Builders will use $1,150,000 in federal low-income housing tax credits and an additional $1,550,000 in DHCD program subsidies to create 50 new rental housing units for individuals and families in Provincetown.  41 of the units will be affordable, including 5 units affordable to households with extremely low incomes. This project is expected to create or retain 90 jobs.
• Winter Gardens (Quincy)
  Neighborhood Housing Services of the South Shore will use $540,000 in federal low-income tax credits and another $2,535,884 in DHCD program subsidies to complete the new construction of a 24-unit family affordable housing development. 6 of the units will be reserved for extremely low income families and individuals.  It is anticipated to produce 48 jobs.
• Revere Fire Station Elderly Housing (Revere)
  Chelsea Neighborhood Developers will use $350,000 in DHCD program subsidies to complete the rehabilitation and conversion of a historic building to 7 affordable, elderly housing units.  The conversion will create 15 jobs.
• St. Joseph’s (Salem)
  Planning Office for Urban Affairs will use $1,237,500 in federal low-income housing tax credits, $242,385 in state issued low-income housing tax credits, and $4,500,000 in DHCD program subsidies to redevelop a former church site into 51 units of affordable rental housing.  6 of the units will be reserved for extremely low income households.  The project is expected to generate 101 jobs.
• City View Commons 2 Phase B (Springfield)
  First Resource Development Company will use $329,000 in federal low-income housing tax credits, $159,594 in state issued low-income housing tax credits, and $258,400 in DHCD program subsidies to complete part of a two-phase acquisition and substantial rehabilitation of the City View Commons 2 apartments.  The entire project will preserve 144 units of affordable rental housing.  This phase will include 24 affordable units, 3 of which will be set aside for extremely low income households.  This phase of construction is will generate 20 jobs.
• Cumberland Homes Phase 2 (Springfield)
  Beacon Communities LLC will use $390,000 in federal low-income housing tax credits, $380,450 in state issued low-income housing tax credits, and $450,000 in DHCD program subsidies to address substantial structural issues in 36 rental units, including 32 affordable units and another 4 for households with extremely low incomes.  The upgrades are expected to generate 27 jobs.
• Sudbury Duplexes (Sudbury)
  The Sudbury Housing Authority will use $1,000,000 in DHCD program subsidies to develop 10 new units of affordable housing and preserve an existing unit.  6 units will be set aside for extremely low income households.  It is expected to create 22 jobs.
• Maple Ridge Phase II (Tyngsborough)
  Dakota Partners will use $627,000 in federal low-income housing tax credits and $171,150 in state issued low-income housing tax credits to produce 24 affordable units, 3 of which will be reserved for extremely low income families. The project is anticipated to produce 34 jobs.
• Gardens at Union Pond (Wareham)
  The Gatehouse Group will use $939,167 in federal low-income housing tax credits and $145,300 in state issued low-income housing tax credits to complete the third phase of this development totaling 144 units.  This third phase will create 40 new affordable rental units for individuals and families, including 4 units affordable to households with extremely low incomes.  This phase is expected to create or retain 57 jobs.
• Kilby, Gardner, Hammond Phase IV (Worcester)
  The Main South Community Development Corporation will use $396,000 in federal low-income housing tax credits and $2,200,000 in DHCD program subsidies to complete production of 22 new units of affordable family housing.  5 units will be reserved for extremely low income families.  The project is expected to produce 40 jobs.

Contact:
Alex Goldstein
Heather Johnson
Alec Loftus
617-725-4025

Kim Haberlin (HED)
617-788-3652