AFFORDABLE HOUSING
8-10 Damon Place, Roslindale
149 Rowe St
63-65 Westminster St, Hyde Park
17 Lexington Ave, Hyde Park
Residence at Fairmount Station
4345-4351 Washington St.
1079 Hyde Park Ave
63-65 Westminster St.
Southwest Boston CDC is adding 15 more affordable rental apartments this year to our existing portfolio - bringing our total to 89 affordable homes across Hyde Park and Roslindale. Family AID’s services enrichment are preparing these families with work readiness, financial literacy training, and specific job training for stable tenancies. SWBCDC can bring their graduates from transitional housing into our other properties. We have ramped up our housing work in the last few years to protect people, especially during Covid. This has been made possible in large part from the City of Boston Acquisition and Opportunity Program, financing from Blue Hub Capital and the Property & Casualty Initiative, consulting from Traggorth Companies, Robinson & Cole, CRC Builds and Boston Independent Management. Southwest Boston CDC is also working with new joint venture partners on larger real estate deals that could protect hundreds of tenancies across Hyde Park, Roslindale & Mattapan.
“I am born and raised here in Boston. I left in 2009 and when I came back to Boston in 2017 I couldn’t find an apartment that I could afford. I did the work and applied for every Metrolist lottery that I was eligible for, I went to the Home Center and applied for over 30 income eligible apartments, but these things take time. I lived with family and friend for as long as I could, and then having to leave for the fear that they could lose their housing, because you can only have guest for 14 days. Well my time and options ran out and on December 25, 2018 I found myself on Christmas morning in my car with all of my belongings and no place to call home. By the Grace of God, I was contacted on December 27th 2018, for one of the lotteries that I had applied. I now live in a tax credit apartment. I later found out that there had been 2,700 applicants. Believe me I am truly grateful, but it is time for me to move to my next level, homeownership. I want a home of my own, and turn my affordable apartment over to someone else who needs it. Being in an affordable rental makes it very difficult to grow. I have to think hard about getting a promotion or an increase (raise) in salary, for fear my rent will increase or I may become ineligible and may not be able to stay where I am, but I cannot afford to buy. I want and need an affordable home of my own
— Felicia Richards, Resident at RAFS & SWBCDC Board Member, 2021
The Residences at Fairmount Station
This fully tenanted, 27-unit development transformed a once blighted eyesore by the train into a brand new, much-needed affordable mixed-income community. The building has connected new residents to the surrounding neighborhood and commercial district.
Energy Efficient
The site is LEED Silver, energy efficient, and environmentally equipped; the development was designed to reduce water runoff and flooding, and provides extremely high indoor air quality to our residents. It has a solar-ready roof, bike storage, energy star appliances, and other LEED-Silver sustainable features as part of the design. There is improved access to the Fairmount Commuter Rail Station, with new sidewalks, crosswalks, paving, and lighting and a garage!
Resident and Community Use
Residents and their children also have approximately 6,000 square feet of green space. The fenced-in soft play structure is a wonderful asset for families with small children. The approximately 585 square foot community room is available for use by both residents of the building and other community groups. This is where SWBCDC hosts most of their events, organizing collaboratives, meeting and other training events. It is equipped with a sink, fridge and bathroom. The space provides several tables and forty chairs to host large groups comfortably and efficiently.
American Legion Highway
FIRST AOP HOUSE IN BOSTON
In 2016, SWBCDC purchased properties on American Legion Highway in Roslindale from a private owner. This development was the FIRST to use the City of Boston’s Acquisition Opportunity Program, organized by Mayor Marty Walsh to keep long time, mixed-income residents in the city. With additional financing from Boston Private Bank, we purchased eight four-bedroom apartments with $75K city subsidies per unit from the city’s Department of Neighborhood Development, DND. This enabled rent stabilization, capital needs renovations, and living conditions upgrades for the tenants. Remaining capital improvements prompted DND to recently offer $200K, or $25/K per apartment to further stabilize the property. All tenants are still in their apartments.
River St. Hyde Park
OUR FIRST RENOVATION
In August, 2012, SWBCDC and our Roslindale based development partner, RG Development, completed the renovation of 990 River Street, a 3-family property in Hyde Park. We sold the home to a moderate income homebuyer who had been one of five households to submit bids for purchase of the house.
Florence and Weld Senior Apartments
EXPIRING USE PROJECT
In our early years, SWBCDC organized to protect tenants in large section 8 subsidized units—In Roslindale, 140 Florence Apartments were eventually saved by former Red Sox Mo Vaughn. The Weld Senior Apartments were also saved by tenant organizing & a SWBCDC partnership. Our first 3-decker purchase at 220 River St was rehabbed and resold to a first-time home buyer.