MassHousing to address seven blighted properties in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A grant program awarded funding for the redevelopment or rehabilitation of seven properties in Springfield, the Healey-Driscoll Administration and MassHousing announced Wednesday.

The Neighborhood Stabilization Program awarded a total of $6.9 million to 10 community-based organizations across Massachusetts. In Springfield, Wayfinders, Inc. has been designated to develop new single-family homes on six city-owned properties in the Old Hill and Upper Hill neighborhoods.

A two-family home in the North End, deemed in poor condition, will be renovated as an affordable homeownership with a rental opportunity. These homes will be available to lower-income first-time homebuyers.

In addition to Springfield, the following projects were included in the awarded $6.9 million grant program:

41-45 Orange Street, Chelsea

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Boston, Inc. is partnering with Comunidades Enraizadas Community Land Trust (CECLT) to build five townhouse homeownership units on two city-owned lots in Chelsea. The City of Chelsea designated Habitat for Humanity of Greater Boston and CECLT to redevelop the properties for affordable housing.

12 Coburn Street, Framingham

South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC) will renovate this seriously damaged rental unit so that it can again provide an affordable home. Funding is needed to restore the kitchen and living areas, baseboard heating, and safety features to once more make it habitable and available for rent to lower-income families.

184 Petty Plan Road, Greenfield

Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity will redevelop this very small, blighted property, constructing a new, energy efficient one-bedroom home that will be offered to a lower-income homebuyer at an affordable price.

Historic Capitol Theatre, 1418-1440 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford

Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts (CEDC) has acquired this historic building located within an Environmental Justice census block near New Bedford’s North End neighborhood. The building, which has been vacant since the 1970’s, will be restored and transformed into six affordable rental apartments, and will also provide commercial space that will house small businesses and health and neighborhood services.

112 Robbins Avenue, Curtis Terrace, and Murphy Place, Pittsfield

Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity is partnering with the City of Pittsfield to create five new affordable homeownership opportunities in the Westside and Morningside neighborhoods. The existing, abandoned and derelict home on Robbins Avenue will be razed and new energy-efficient modular homes will be built on all three properties, including one single-family and two two-family buildings.

597 Wareham Road, Plymouth

Habitat for Humanity Greater Plymouth is partnering with the Town of Plymouth to restore a modest two-bedroom home in south Plymouth as a new homeowner opportunity. The 75-year-old home is in south Plymouth on a road that has only recently been paved and is not on town water or sewer.

6 Chapel Lane, Wareham

Wareham Area Committee for the Homeless is partnering with the owner of 6 Chapel Lane (6 Chapel Lane LLC) to develop this former church site into a six-unit rental development for formerly homeless families.

116 Piedmont Street, Worcester

Worcester Common Ground, a nonprofit community development corporation, will redevelop this long-vacant lot in the Piedmont neighborhood into a three-unit residential building serving three moderate-income first-time homebuyers. The first-floor unit will become a fully accessible two-bedroom home; the others will be three-bedroom units.

13 Hawley Street, Worcester

Habitat for Humanity MetroWest (HFHMW) plans to build a single-family home on this residential street near the Piedmont neighborhood in Worcester. The lot, which at one time had a residential structure on it, is owned by the city, which has designated HFHMW as developer.

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