Gov. Charlie Baker is expected to be in Haverhill this afternoon to discuss the CommonWealth Builder Program, economic recovery and American Rescue Plan Act money. Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Housing and Economic Development Secretary Michael Kennealy, Administration and Finance Secretary Michael J. Heffernan and MassHousing Executive Director Chrystal Kornegay visit 430 Washington St. Back […]
Michael Seward: Addressing the region’s affordable housing shortage
Matt Mainville, the executive director of the Holyoke housing authority, shows left, Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Alex Morse the plans for the MassWorks grant received that will help build 88 units of affordable housing in Holyoke. Gazette file photo
Published: 4/13/2021 6:30:46 AM
After reading April 5’s article about a $250,000 grant Northampton received for affordable housing, I thought it would be helpful to note that it was part of a $5 million disbursement of capital improvement grants to 14 communities designated as House Choice Communities. It’s a good program that citizens should know about. Northampton wasn’t the only local community that received such funds, and other towns can benefit from the program, which isn’t just for subsidized, affordable housing, but all housing. This is an important program with an urgent goal given the housing shortage exacerbated by the pandemic.
Governor Charlie Baker and a host of partners on Wednesday awarded $5 million in capital grants to 28 communities under the Housing Choice Initiative and presented 14 communities with Housing Choice designations.
As part of the awards, Chelsea was announced for a $250,000 grant.
The City of Chelsea will use funding for a proposed capital project focused on pedestrian enhancements along Orange Street, directly adjacent to a new, neighborhood scale housing opportunity on two City owned parcels and to an existing Chelsea Housing Authority complex and other dense, residential dwellings.
The grant will help the City’s new program that enables the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) to embark on developing vacant and City-owned lots – the first of such just getting started on Orange Street.