Special to the Regional Review
Mayor Michelle Wu has announced $64.2 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 income-restricted units of housing in eight Boston neighborhoods. This ambitious portfolio of projects consists of 12 projects with a total of 637 units of mixed-income housing that includes both rental and homeownership units for families, housing for older adults and housing for those experiencing homelessness. These proposed projects meet the Mayor’s Office of Housing standards for zero-emissions buildings and represent transit-oriented, green development. This announcement was made today at the Harvard Ed Portal in Allston, with city leadership, local elected officials, affordable housing developers, and community organizations.
“Collaborating closely with communities across neighborhoods, we’re urgently working to create and preserve more than 600 income-restricted housing units across the city,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “These housing awards will strengthen our communities, enhance affordability, and continue making progress for Boston as a home for everyone. I’m grateful to the Neighborhood Housing Trust and the Community Preservation Committee for their continued partnership as we continue our efforts to address affordability across Boston’s neighborhoods.”
These awards have been funded by federal programs such as HOME Investment Partnership and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), as well as local programs like Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) funds, Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds, and Linkage contributions from large commercial developments. These projects will advance City goals to affirmatively further fair housing, and will efficiently utilize City resources and land to increase the supply of housing available to residents across Boston neighborhoods.
“This funding represents another important step in making Boston a city where everyone can find a place to call home,” said Chief of Housing Sheila A. Dillon. “By supporting these 12 developments, we are not just creating housing—we are strengthening neighborhoods, preventing displacement, and ensuring that residents have the stability they need to thrive. These funds build on the historic investments in housing made by the Wu administration over the last three years, reflecting our continued commitment to addressing Boston’s housing challenges head-on.”
Proposals for these funding awards were evaluated by the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH), the Neighborhood Housing Trust (NHT), and the Community Preservation Committee (CPC). The funding award recommendations stem from a review process following a Request for Proposals issued by MOH in the fall of 2024. Each proposal was evaluated by teams of senior leadership, underwriters, and architects using criteria such as financial feasibility, team capacity, community support, design quality, and alignment with market needs. Of the 21 projects submitted, 12 were selected to receive funding. MOH will work with the remaining project teams to strengthen their proposals for future funding opportunities.
”The Community Preservation Committee acknowledges the crucial role that affordable housing plays in the lives of our residents and is steadfast in its dedication to building more inclusive and resilient communities,” said Thadine Brown, Director of the Community Preservation Act Office. “Through the Community Preservation Fund, we are proud to support the creation of new affordable housing units in Boston. These proposed projects not only offer homeownership and rental opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents but also help prevent the displacement of long-term residents, providing them with a sense of security, stability, and improved health outcomes.”
“As Boston grows, ensuring access to affordable housing is vital to maintaining Boston’s diverse neighborhoods,” said Catherine Hardaway, chair of the Neighborhood Housing Trust. “Affordable housing isn’t just about providing homes, it’s about fostering stable neighborhoods and driving economic development. The Neighborhood Housing Trust remains committed to partnering with developers, community organizations, and residents to champion innovative, sustainable housing solutions. I want to thank my colleagues who serve on the Neighborhood Housing Trust for their commitment to affordable housing in Boston. Together, we can create resilient neighborhoods where every Bostonian has the opportunity to thrive.”
“The Neighborhood Housing Trust and Community Preservation Fund are valuable tools we have to continue to support affordable housing development in the City,” said Chief of Planning Kairos Shen. “I am happy that the various large scale development projects which went through our development review process and paid into Linkage were able to support the NHT in making this round of funding possible.”
“We are honored to be a recipient of this year’s City of Boston’s affordable housing funding awards, which strengthens our mission to deliver inclusive and accessible housing solutions in Allston Brighton. The Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation is proud to support Mayor Michelle Wu’s vision of creating more equitable sustainable housing for all,” said John Woods, Executive Director of the Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation. “We deeply appreciate the support and dedication of our Mayor Michelle Wu, the Mayor’s Office of Housing, the Neighborhood Housing Trust, the Community Preservation Committee, the North Allston residents, Councilor Liz Breadon, and Harvard University for helping us create new sustainable inclusive housing in our city.”
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. New developments will use electricity and on-site solar panels as their sole fuel source.
Chinatown/South End
• 50 Herald Street, a project led by Beacon Communities Services LLC and the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, will create 117 affordable rental units, including 22 Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) off-site units. All units will be affordable between 30-60% of AMI. The project will also include a sizable ground-floor retail space capable of locating an Asian market.
Fenway
• 112 Queensberry, developed by the Fenway Community Development Corporation, will transform this under-utilized urban infill site into a six-story building with 24 units of affordable transit-oriented rental housing. These units will serve individuals earning 30-60% of AMI.
Jamaica Plain/Mission Hill
• Envision Hotel, located at 81 South Huntington Avenue, will be acquired and rehabilitated by Victory Programs. The hotel, currently operating as an emergency shelter, will transition into 41 deeply affordable permanent supportive housing units for individuals experiencing homelessness
Mission Hill
• ODJ Development LLC will build 48 affordable homeownership units serving households earning 80-100% of AMI on City-owned land. The development will include open space and urban farming opportunities.
This announcement of a $64 million City investment to create and preserve 637 units of affordable housing continues the Wu Administration’s historic investment in affordable housing production. The Wu administration, in its first three years, has created more affordable housing than at any other three-year period dating back to 1998. In addition to increasing the supply of affordable housing, the Mayor has worked urgently to unlock market-rate development through a new $110 million Housing Accelerator Fund aimed at closing financing gaps for approved projects. Under her leadership, the City has launched zoning and programs aimed at fostering a wider variety of housing for all Bostonians, including accessory dwelling units, housing with public assets like libraries, office-to-residential conversions Downtown, and more mid-size multifamily housing in walkable and transit-oriented areas. Mayor Wu and her administration have also helped more families become homeowners than in any other three-year period since 1998 and adopted new policies and programs to reduce the cost of utility bills for homeowners. Mayor Wu continues to fight for residential tax relief legislation for Boston residents impacted by sharp increases in their Fiscal Year 2025 third-quarter property tax bills. This refiled tax proposal expands on Mayor Wu’s relief package that passed the City Council and House of Representatives last year.