Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Visits Cambridge To Learn About City’s Affordable Housing Advancements
Friday, September 13, 2024
The City of Cambridge was pleased to welcome Secretary Ed Augustus of the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to our community this week to discuss the City’s ongoing work to create new affordable housing. City leaders were joined by representatives from the Cambridge Housing Authority, Just A Start and Homeowner’s Rehab, Inc.
Discussions included how Cambridge benefits from capable housing providers who work closely with City staff to create new affordable housing. City leaders also discussed all that Cambridge is doing with local partners to create a deep and comprehensive pipeline of new affordable housing -- ranging from new housing for families, seniors and supportive housing for individuals who have been unhoused.
Secretary Augustus learned more about the significant investment the City has made in new affordable housing through City funds allocated to the Affordable Housing Trust and contributions generated through the Incentive Zoning Ordinance.
The Affordable Housing Overlay was noted as a powerful tool in helping affordable housing providers secure and advance new developments, which currently comprise more than 725 new affordable units with more new units soon to be proposed in several other new developments. The deep pipeline has resulted from City funds being used to acquire new sites and the Affordable Housing Overlay allowing for a clear path for new development to be built once fully financed.
The City and affordable housing builders have had significant success in working collaboratively for many years with the Commonwealth to fund new affordable housing. It was great to have the opportunity to look at recent successful efforts and review future opportunities due to these successful partnerships.
The visit included a tour of Just A Start’s new Rindge Commons housing and job training space and Homeowner’s Rehab, Inc.’s Finch Cambridge building.
Located at 430 Rindge Avenue, Rindge Commons is a 24-unit mixed-use development located in the Alewife district of North Cambridge. Completed in summer 2024, this six-story building includes 24 affordable one- and two-bedroom rental units, and is home to affordable preschool classrooms and Just A Start’s headquarters.
Upon completion in the Summer 2020, the 98-unit Finch Cambridge was the largest new construction development of 100% affordable housing in the City of Cambridge in over 40 years. As the first Passive House affordable housing development in Massachusetts, Finch Cambridge is a model for the industry. Sustainable technologies include airtight insulation, high-efficiency heating and cooling, and solar PV.
The Secretary also toured Cambridge Housing Authority’s Manning Apartments.
