MassHousing Awards $399,009 for Affordable Sober Housing to Support Men and Women in Recovery in Six Communities
Funding will help create 37 new units and rehabilitate 70 existing units of sober housing, in Brockton, Greenfield, Leominster, Lynn, Springfield, and Worcester
BOSTON, MA — MassHousing has awarded a total of $399,009 to help create or renovate 107 affordable sober housing units in Brockton, Greenfield, Leominster, Lynn, Springfield, and Worcester. The awarded projects will serve men and women in recovery, including young women and residents with families.
The grants come from the Center for Community Recovery Innovations, Inc. (CCRI), a nonprofit subsidiary corporation of MassHousing that helps nonprofits create or preserve affordable sober housing in Massachusetts for individuals in recovery. To date, CCRI has awarded more than $10 million in grants for the creation or preservation of more than 2,100 units of substance-free housing, in 50 communities, serving recovery populations that include men, women, families, veterans, the homeless and ex-offenders.
”These CCRI grants are extremely important to the men and women who are working to overcome the devastating effects of addiction, by allowing them to have a safe, affordable and sober home to live in,” said MassHousing Acting Executive Director Tom Lyons. ”By helping vulnerable populations achieve sobriety, these grants will deliver service-rich, affordable housing that will help improve the lives of Massachusetts residents.”
CCRI grant awards:
EMH Recovery, Inc., Brockton, $75,000
MassHousing grant funds will help acquire and renovate McDevitt House, a house for eight young women in recovery who are graduates of transitional sober living. Partners include the City of Brockton, North Easton Savings Bank and private foundations.
Sage Housing, Inc., Greenfield, $75,000
Grant funds will help acquire and renovate the Next Door for Women in Recovery, a sober home for six women. Partners include the City of Greenfield, Greenfield Savings Bank, Greater Athol Area Mental Health Associates (GAAMHA) and the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County.
South Middlesex Non-Profit Housing Corporation, Leominster, $75,000
Grant funds will help create 19 new Single Room Occupancy (SRO) units of sober housing for men in recovery. Partners include the Federal Home Loan Bank and Brookfield Savings Bank.
Bridgewell, Lynn, $26,509
Grant funds will help renovate 40 units of affordable SRO sober housing on Essex Street, including stair replacement and electrical upgrades scheduled to be completed by December 2017.
Greater New Life Christian Center, Springfield, $125,000
Grant funds will help with the construction of the New Life Center for Recovery, a four-unit residence of multi-bedroom apartments for residents in recovery and their families on land acquired from the Diocese of Springfield. Partners include the City of Springfield and Berkshire Bank.
Community Healthlink, Worcester, $22,500
Grant funds will help renovate the Green House, a building with 30 affordable sober housing units. The scope of work includes a new roof, flooring and electrical system with completion expected by Spring 2018.
About CCRI
The Center For Community Recovery Innovations, Inc., issues an annual Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit projects for funding. The proposals that are selected need to meet CCRI’s current priorities and eligibility categories. The grants are typically used as one-time gap funding for capital projects that increase or improve the stock of affordable sober housing in Massachusetts. Other proposals that provide services for residents in MassHousing-financed rental housing, specifically those that address alcohol and/or drug abuse or addiction, are also considered for funding. CCRI grant recipients must be 501c3 non-profit organizations and matching funds must be provided. All proposals and applicant qualifications are stringently reviewed and vetted by MassHousing.
About MassHousing
MassHousing (The Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency) is an independent, quasi-public agency created in 1966 and charged with providing financing for affordable housing in Massachusetts. The Agency raises capital by selling bonds and lends the proceeds to low- and moderate-income homebuyers and homeowners, and to developers who build or preserve affordable and/or mixed-income rental housing. MassHousing does not use taxpayer dollars to sustain its operations, although it administers some publicly funded programs on behalf of the Commonwealth. Since its inception, MassHousing has provided more than $20 billion for affordable housing. For more information, visit the MassHousing website at www.masshousing.com, follow us on Twitter @MassHousing, subscribe to our blog, watch us on YouTube, and Like us on Facebook.
Media Contacts:
Paul McMorrow
pmcmorrow@masshousing.com
(617) 854-1141
Tom Farmer
tfarmer@masshousing.com
(617) 854-1843
