Boston, Harvard unveil affordable housing funding

Celebrating the allocation of over $60 million aimed at creating and maintaining affordable housing across Boston, Harvard Executive Vice President Meredith Weenick welcomed city officials — including Mayor Michelle Wu’s chief of staff, Tiffany Chu, and chief of housing, Sheila Dillon — at the Harvard Ed Portal in Allston to announce grants for 12 projects.

“We recognize that the housing crisis is a major source of tension for families in our city, and that’s the reason why every measure we take focuses on increasing housing availability and ensuring affordability,” Chu stated. “The 12 projects receiving financial support today encompass affordable units for rent and purchase, as well as housing for seniors and supportive housing, and will be developed on both public and private properties.”

“At a moment when the demand for affordable housing has never been so immense, these grants mark a significant advancement,” noted Weenick. “We’re honored to collaborate in this initiative, and I want to acknowledge that it requires a community to drive these types of projects. All of you have an array of collaborators, including the city, and we’re fortunate to have such outstanding partners throughout our neighborhood.”

“At a moment when the demand for affordable housing has never been so immense, these grants mark a significant advancement.”

Meredith Weenick, Harvard executive vice president

Once finalized, the financed initiatives will provide 637 units of income-restricted housing in the regions of Allston, Brighton, Chinatown, Dorchester, Fenway, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mission Hill, and Roxbury.

The Harvard-supported Allston initiatives included in this funding announcement consist of the establishment of 43 affordable homeownership units on land donated by Harvard at 65 Seattle St. in Allston, and the conversion of the historic Hill Memorial Baptist Church on North Harvard St. into 49 affordable rental units for seniors in Boston. Harvard contributed $4.8 million to fully finance site acquisition for the latter. 

“As a long-standing member of the Allston-Brighton community, Harvard has developed a comprehensive housing strategy that evolves according to the dynamic needs of city demands and residents,” Weenick expressed. “We are enthusiastic about participating in enabling two of the projects being announced today. These initiatives represent nearly 100 units of affordable housing in Allston and embody what we can accomplish through innovation, responsiveness, and collaboration.”

Harvard’s endeavors beyond the campus in Allston have already facilitated the establishment of over 1,300 new housing units, with roughly 25 percent designated as affordable. Harvard donated land at the former site of Brookline Machine located at 90 Antwerp St., allowing the creation of 20 homeownership units, 12 of which are affordable. Through regulatory agreements associated with the construction of the Enterprise Research Campus, Harvard has pledged $25 million over 12 years to promote affordable housing development in the area and will ensure that 20 percent of the residential units in the ERC are affordable.

Furthermore, the Harvard-funded All Bright Homeownership Program aids in stabilizing homeownership in Allston-Brighton by enabling the Allston Brighton Community Development Corp. to acquire and resell homes with deed restrictions, ensuring properties remain owner-occupied. On a broader scale, the long-established Harvard Local Housing Collaborative has provided over $20 million in low-interest revolving loans since its inception in 2000, facilitating the creation and preservation of more than 7,000 units of affordable housing across Greater Boston.

According to Boston officials, all new construction initiatives funded in this round will be mandated to comply with the Zero Emissions Building requirements detailed in the MOH Design Standards, and new projects will rely on electricity and on-site solar panels as the exclusive (or primary) sources of power. 

Expressing gratitude to the award recipients, Dillon remarked, “You answered our call for proposals and our funding opportunities because you recognized a chance out there. You envisioned an excellent development idea. You assembled quality applications. You consented to make your projects carbon-neutral and pledged to ensure that local businesses, specifically Boston businesses, benefit from this economic activity. Your housing projects will not only accommodate our residents but also advance Boston’s climate objectives and economic equity aims, so thank you for everything you have accomplished through this funding opportunity.”

“We’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone with all of you. The announcement of these awards is not only financially important but also a tribute to the hard work and commitment of everyone involved in the mission to create and preserve housing throughout the city of Boston,” said Weenick.