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Charles River Center proposes 86-unit inclusive housing at Militia Heights; seeks CPC support amid state funding rules
Summary
Charles River Center presented Charles River Heights, an 86-unit affordable housing development combining roughly equal shares of clients the center serves and general-affordable tenants with on-site wraparound services; presenters said state rules limit 24/7 group-home care on the site and that half of units would be occupied by CRC clientele.
Charles River Center (CRC) officials presented plans on March 12 for Charles River Heights, a proposed 86-unit affordable housing development at 59 East Militia Heights Drive that would pair integrated housing with a spectrum of support services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Anne Marie (surname given in transcript as Anne Marie; presenter identified herself as Charles River Center president/CEO) said the project would create 86 affordable apartments, about half of which CRC expects to allocate to the people it serves and the other half to the general community under standard AMI rules. "We are creating 86 new affordable housing units. The most important thing to remember is about 50% of those units will be occupied by the Charles River Center clientele," the presenter said.
Project model and services: CRC described the development as an inclusive model that combines accessible housing with flexible, wraparound supports: overnight remote monitoring (but not 24/7 institutional care on-site), medication assistance, clinical supports, college navigation, job supports and transportation (CRC said it is exploring an integrated shuttle shared with another provider). The plan includes a principal three-story building with 68 units and three single-story buildings with studio apartments and community spaces. CRC said it will include 43 accessible units and five apartments for staff for emergency overnight needs.
Funding and budget: Project financing described by CRC representatives relies heavily on federal and state low-income housing tax credit equity, subordinate debt from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, a $3,500,000 ask to the CPC (as presented) and other usual state and utility energy funds. Presenters said income-averaging rules were not assumed in underwriting because current state guidance discourages early assumptions about that mechanism.
Regulatory limits and funding conditions: CRC noted Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS) funding will support services but that DDS and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rules mean CRC cannot locate 24/7 group-home care on the same campus without creating an institutional setting; CRC said that constraint shaped the project's staffing and service model. Presenters also discussed loan vs. grant structure for any CPC award and noted tax-credit financing and investor rules would affect the preferred structure.
Public comment: Several residents and board members praised CRC's experience and the project's integrated approach. A commenter who identified herself as a Needham resident and parent of a son with profound disability asked whether the project would meet needs of people requiring 24/7 care; CRC said DDS funding rules and CMS guidance prevent 24/7 group-home care on the site but that CRC operates separate group homes and is planning additional group-home capacity elsewhere to serve people needing that level of care.
Next steps: CRC representatives said they had launched a project website with FAQs and outreach and will continue community meetings; the CPC will consider CRC's application alongside other proposals during its deliberations.
