MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES WELCOME HOME BOSTON, PHASE 3, PROVIDES PROGRESS REPORT ON HOMEOWNERHIP PROGRAMS AND THE CREATION OF NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES |
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Homes Built by BIPOC Developers Support Racial Equity BOSTON - Wednesday, July 16, 2025 - Yesterday, Mayor Michelle Wu joined new homeowners, BIPOC-owned development teams, community members, and local leaders in Dorchester to celebrate first-time homebuyers and the launch of phase three of Welcome Home, Boston. The homes visited were built on City-owned land by development teams led by people of color and supported by City programs, including the Boston Home Center. The event took place at new homeowner Genesis’ home on Elmont Street in Dorchester, developed by Norfolk Design & Construction. “Homeownership is one of the most powerful tools we have to build generational wealth and keep neighborhoods strong,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m proud to celebrate these new homeowners alongside the local developers who have partnered with the City and the Boston Home Center to help more families afford to make Boston home.” Welcome Home, Boston Phases 1, 2 & 3 The Mayor announced the Welcome Home, Boston program at her State of the City address in January of 2023. To date, phases 1 and 2 of the program have resulted in 28 parcels being developed into 144 future homes, many of which are now under construction or currently in closing and will begin construction in the summer and fall of 2025. Welcome Home, Boston is part of Mayor Wu’s strategy to close the racial wealth gap by increasing the number of homeowners in Boston and supporting local developers of color. Phase 1 and 2 development teams include Dorchester Design Collaborative, Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, Boston Neighborhood Community Land Trust, African Community Economic Development of New England, and many others. By providing developers with City-owned land, capital, and technical help, the City is creating more affordable homes and building community wealth. Yesterday, the Mayor announced the next phase of the Welcome Home, Boston (WHB) program: WHB III will make 12 City-owned parcels available to create more than 30 new homes for first-time middle-income homebuyers in Hyde Park, Roslindale, Dorchester, and Roxbury. The BPDA Board will vote on the release of an RFP to redevelop these parcels this Thursday. Developers are encouraged to utilize efficient and cost-effective construction methods that could reduce costs, shorten construction timelines, minimize the impact on surrounding neighborhoods, and meet Boston’s carbon neutrality and sustainability goals. Staff will give preference to proposals that demonstrate how innovation can help build a more inclusive, efficient, and resilient housing delivery ecosystem. “We are excited to be able to offer this public land to address the need for more middle-income housing in our city,” said Chief of Planning Kairos Shen. “We are leveraging every tool available to us to help alleviate the housing shortage, and this initiative is another way we can work towards those goals.” “The Wu administration has made increasing homeownership rates in Boston a reality. Through the development of affordable homes, increased downpayment programs, and lower interest rate mortgage products, we are helping our residents own a piece of the City that they love,” said Sheila Dillon, Chief of Housing. “By ensuring that our programs are serving both BIPOC families and development teams, we are also investing in a more equitable Boston.” “As co-founders of a veteran-and minority-owned firm, Duane and I take great pride in delivering quality homes and driving economic opportunity across Boston,” said Adler Bernadin, President of Norfolk Design & Construction. “Developments represent more than just buildings—they’re an investment in families, a commitment to this community, and a critical step toward a more equitable future.” “This work supports the Office of Black Male Advancement’s mission to advance equity and increase wealth-building opportunities for Black residents living in Boston,” said Frank Farrow, Executive Director of the Office of Black Male Advancement. “Homeownership is a vital tool that helps us close the racial wealth gap and break cycles of systemic inequality. By empowering emerging developers of color and supporting first-time homeowners, we’re helping build a stronger, more connected Boston.” "Today is about more than just new keys and new doors — it’s about new beginnings,” said Tito Jackson, Chair of the Black Men and Boys Commission. “The Black Men and Boys Commission is proud to support efforts like Welcome Home, Boston that provide opportunities for emerging developers of color to build on City-owned land while also ensuring that Black families have equitable access to affordable homeownership opportunities. This is how we close the racial wealth gap — one home, one family, one neighborhood at a time.” “Welcome Home, Boston exemplifies the modern approach we need for the future of housing in our city,” said City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune. “Combining community-driven development with intentional investment in our Black and Brown neighborhoods." "The short-term benefits of more housing from Welcome Home, Boston are desperately needed, but it's the intentionality of this program that is going to deliver for generations of Bostonians," said City Councilor Brian Worrell. "We're giving BIPOC-led development teams a chance to grow their business, and we're helping dozens of Bostonians buy their first-home, creating long-term stability for them in their neighborhood." Part of a Larger Homeownership Strategy The Welcome Home, Boston program is one of the many ways that the City is supporting homeownership. The Boston Home Center, working closely with a network of non-profit partners, is providing homebuyer classes, financial support for downpayments and closing costs and One+ Boston mortgages. The goal is to help families build stability and wealth while strengthening neighborhoods across the city. In the first 3-plus years of the Wu Administration, more income-restricted homeownership opportunities were created than during any comparable time period in the last 25 years: 836 new homes were completed or moved into construction during this time. But it’s not just about new units; it’s also the people who will call them home. Under Mayor Wu’s leadership, 1,000 Bostonians have become first-time homeowners through financial assistance in the form of downpayment and closing cost assistance, access to lower cost mortgage products including the One+ Boston program, and/or purchase of income-restricted homes. More than 65% of homebuyers assisted through City of Boston initiatives are BIPOC. “Homeownership builds stronger communities and helps create long-term generational wealth,” said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay. “MassHousing is proud to support investments in new homeownership opportunities as part of our work to make Massachusetts a more affordable place to live and raise a family.” “As a first-time homebuyer, my experience working with the City of Boston has been both transformative and deeply meaningful. From the initial stages of education and guidance through the affordable housing lottery to the final steps of securing a home, the process was thorough, transparent, and supportive,” said new homeowner Genesis. “I felt supported and informed at every turn, and I am truly grateful for the City’s dedication to making homeownership accessible to families like mine. This opportunity has allowed me to establish long-term stability for my children and build a future rooted in the city we love. I am honored to share my story and extend my sincere appreciation to all those who made this possible.” To learn more about affordable homeownership opportunities and support for first-time homebuyers in Boston, visit the Boston Home Center website. |
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