Massachusetts announces housing awards for Pittsfield, 1,350 homes statewide
Loading...
Summary
Governor Healy and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll announced two rounds of housing awards, including $140 million for 15 rental projects (about 1,000 units) and nearly $8.5 million in conversion tax credits across five projects. Pittsfield will receive funding for a 47‑unit Linden Street affordable project and a 23‑unit Park Square conversion.
Governor Healy on Thursday announced statewide housing investments that state officials say will support roughly 1,350 homes across Massachusetts and specifically fund projects in Pittsfield.
Healy said the administration is investing $140,000,000 across 15 projects to produce about 1,000 affordable rental units and is allocating nearly $8.5 million in conversion tax credits to convert unused commercial space into housing. "Today, we're announcing 2 buckets of funding awards," he said. In Pittsfield, the administration is partnering with local developers on the Linden Street Apartments, a 47-unit affordable rental project, and on a Park Square conversion that the governor said will create 23 modern housing units along with street-level retail and a commercial kitchen.
The announcements come as part of the administration's broader Affordable Homes Act and related tools. State officials and developers at the event credited a mix of incentives for making projects viable: increased low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, HDIP funding and a new commercial conversion tax credit. Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities Ed Augustus said the state increased annual low-income housing tax credits from $40,000,000 to $60,000,000 and restored HDIP funding to $30,000,000 annually with a one-time $57,000,000 boost to address backlog. "There is now a conversion commercial conversion tax credit," he said, calling it a new tool for unlocking housing in vacant buildings.
Local partners described the Pittsfield projects as revitalizing for downtown. Developer Lou Allegroni said the Park Square building, long vacant after decades as a bank, will be returned to mixed-use life under the conversion credit program. Eileen Peltier, CEO of regional housing provider Hearthway, outlined the Linden Street effort and said it required coordinated site acquisition, predevelopment funding and local support from the mayor and community development staff.
Officials provided a list of award recipients statewide, including projects in Boston, Lowell, Lawrence, New Bedford, Greenfield, Lenox, Framingham, Beverly and Westfield. Augustus characterized the awards as moving projects "from idea to construction" and noted the administration has targeted a pace of new housing production since taking office.
State staffers at the event said program teams — including the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities — will continue reviewing applications; Augustus asked the audience to recognize Kate Rasor and her team, saying they will "be back at it tomorrow reviewing more applications and approving more units."
