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BOSTON - Wednesday, August 17, 2022 - Mayor
Michelle Wu announced today that the City of Boston has released two Requests for
Proposals (RFP),
totaling $50 million for affordable housing projects. This funding is
available to create and preserve rental, cooperative, and homeownership
developments in Boston.
“Safe and stable housing is critical for the
health of our residents, families, and communities,” said Mayor
Michelle Wu. “This funding will ensure significant investments go
toward safe, accessible affordable housing in our neighborhoods across the
city. I’m grateful to the Mayor’s Office of Housing, the Neighborhood
Housing Trust, and the Community Preservation Committee for their
leadership and partnership with our nonprofit and for-profit community
development organizations to ensure Boston is a city for everyone.”
The $50 million available represents the
contributions of three different City sources whose combined resources will
ensure a deeper impact for low, moderate, and middle-income Bostonians.
Thirty million dollars will be offered from funding sources controlled by
the City of Boston’s Mayor’s Office
of Housing and the Community
Preservation Fund. The Neighborhood
Housing Trust Fund (NHT) is contributing the remaining $20 million in
revenue from commercial real estate extractions, through the Linkage
program.
There will be a virtual Applicant's
Conference on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at 10:00 am. Applicants are
strongly encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent by Friday, August 26,
2022, and a final proposal by September 30, 2022, no later than 4 pm.
Interested applicants may register for a package here.
The Mayor’s Office of Housing, the Community
Preservation Committee, and the Neighborhood Housing Trust will prioritize
development proposals that produce significant percentages of housing for
residents who have low incomes and those that serve homeless individuals,
seniors, and residents with disabilities. The development projects must
support the City of Boston’s goals to further fair housing, efficiently use
City resources and land to increase the production and preservation of
mixed-income housing, and help preserve affordable housing in at-risk
expiring use developments.
“Once again, Mayor Wu is demonstrating that
she gets it—she is truly a mayor for everyone. We appreciate her
recognition that the provision of affordable housing is critical to the
City’s vibrancy—and how she is making these new resources available,” said Amy
Schectman, President & CEO of 2Life Communities. “This
commitment is fantastic! We are thrilled to support this exciting effort
and hope that through this significant funding, our model for aging in
community can be replicated to ensure older adults in Boston can live full
lives of connection and purpose in the places they
treasure.”
This year’s RFPs will also enhance the
City’s long-standing focus on advancing equity in every stage of the
housing creation and preservation process.
The RFPs require developers to report on how
they will ensure the City of Boston’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
minority-owned businesses are represented throughout the development and
property management process. Development teams that are certified
minority-owned business enterprises (MBE) and owners of 25% or more of the
proposed project will receive the highest preference when award decisions
are being made. Development teams where 25% or more of soft costs go to MBE
consultants that have been identified as part of the team at the time of
application will also receive an advantage. Applicants must also provide
information on how resident services offered in a multifamily development
will help support the economic mobility of residents who will live in
affordable housing units.
All new construction projects funded in this
latest round will be required to follow the Zero Emissions Building (ZEB)
requirements outlined in the MOH Design Standards. Developers will be
required to submit a preliminary Net Zero Strategy as part of the design
submission. New multi-family buildings must use electricity and on-site
photovoltaics as the sole (or primary) fuel source.
"Accomplishing our vision for the
Blue Hill Ave B1 parcels is highly dependent on our ability to secure funding
from the Mayor's Office of Housing,” said Dariela Villon-Maga,
President and Owner, DVM Consulting. “Without it, we would not be able
to offer the level of affordability the Dorchester and Mattapan community
truly needs. It allows us to create new, safe, energy-efficient
homeownership and rental opportunities for those that need them the most.
MOH is a critical partner to affordable housing developers working to
combat Boston's housing affordability crisis.”
In addition to these City sources, the Mayor’s
Office of Housing has at its disposal significant federal funding from the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American
Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that can be used for affordable housing
development. In July, the Boston City Council approved Mayor Wu’s
precedent-setting investment in affordable housing from ARPA funds,
committing more than $205M to addressing specific housing
issues. These investments include:
· $58 million for affordable housing
production and financial support to homebuyers
· $30 million to transform publicly-owned land
into green, mixed-income communities
· $26 million for property acquisitions to
prevent displacement
· $20 million for greening affordable housing
through deep green energy retrofits of existing buildings
· $19 million to create new permanent
supportive housing for homeless individuals with substance use and
behavioral health disorders
The majority of these ARPA funds will be
released through additional competitive requests for proposals, some in combination
with public land disposition. Some portion of these funds may be
distributed through this RFP to eligible projects.
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