Affordable Housing Tours

Hosted by MassHousing

Sunday, October 20 | 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

MassHousing invites you to join their staff to tour of one of three unique communities in and around Boston: Whittier Street, Jackson Square, and Brockton. Each tour will visit exemplary housing developments that have contributed to community revitalization through public-private partnerships, visioning, and planning. Most of these projects have received MassHousing financing for new construction and preservation, as well as other funding sources, such as the Workforce Housing program, 13A Rental Preservation program, and the MassHousing-administered Affordable Housing Trust Fund from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Development team members and representatives from partner organizations will be on hand at tour stops to talk with participants.

The tours and travel are complimentary, however, preregistration is required by Friday, October 4. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis to registered conference attendees.*

Questions? Contact MassHousing’s Monique Gibbs at innovation@masshousing.com.

Walking Tour: Developing the Whittier Choice Neighborhood

(Tour Capacity: 30 people)

In 2016, the Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the Boston Housing Authority a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant for the redevelopment of the Whittier Street Apartments, a 200-unit public housing development. The grant also allowed for $260 million in private and public investment to be leveraged for the redevelopment of the existing public housing units and the creation of new mixed-income housing, infrastructure, and community amenities.

Join us for a walk through the Whittier Street Neighborhood and learn about the extraordinary progress the development team has made in realizing the vision of Whittier Street in three years. The tour also stops by other sites in the surrounding community supported by MassHousing and its community development partners.

Note: This group will travel on public transportation; fares will be covered by MassHousing.

Walking Tour: Transformative Development in Jackson Square

(Tour Capacity: 30 people)

Twenty years ago, Jackson Square residents organized and advocated for a community-driven neighborhood revitalization process. Through this effort, the Jackson Square Redevelopment Initiative master plan was created.

Jackson Square Partners LLC (JSP), a collaborative entity formed with four community development organizations designated by the City of Boston, has led the redevelopment of almost nine acres of vacant and underutilized public land in the community. To date, 179 new mixed-income housing units have been built, in addition to new commercial and community space. Additional housing units and community amenities are in the development pipeline for the next five years.

Join us for a walking tour through the community and explore the transformative impact these projects have on the urban landscape and the greater Jackson Square neighborhood. The tour includes a discussion with members of the JSP collaborative.

Note: This group will travel on public transportation; fares will be covered by MassHousing.

Bus Tour: Downtown Revitalization for a Diverse Community in Brockton

(Tour Capacity: 20 people)

Brockton is a mid-sized city about 20 miles outside of Boston. After years of economic downturn and population loss, the city is experiencing a period of urban regeneration, focused in and around the downtown. As the cost of housing in communities closer to Boston continues to rise, Brockton has become an attractive location for diverse and young moderate-income households looking to settle in the region. The city boasts one of the highest homeownership rates for households of color in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with support in part from the MassHousing First-Time Homebuyer program. Residents can travel to Downtown Boston in 30 minutes from one of the three commuter rail lines in the city, or take advantage of strong local bus service. Two major highways connect Brockton to economic opportunity centers throughout the region. This revitalization has been made possible through a coordinated effort of public and private investment in the area.

Join us for a short bus trip out of Boston to visit and tour development projects in Brockton and speak with the community partners on the ground leading the revitalization efforts.

 

*Tours run concurrently and will proceed rain or shine. You will receive a confirmation email containing additional logistical details after you register for a tour.

Tour groups will depart from and return to the Sheraton Boston Hotel. Departure locations will be clearly marked, and MassHousing staff will be on hand to direct you to your group.

If you find that you are unable to attend a tour for which you registered, please notify innovation@masshousing.com so your place can be made available to another attendee.