Posted on September 2, 2025
The spring and summer seasons have been busy for our Rental Finance team, with staff attending celebrations marking major milestones in MHP-financed affordable housing developments across the state. Here are some highlights:
McManus Manor | Acton
A groundbreaking ceremony in Acton on May 5 included an emotional tribute to a longtime director of the Acton Housing Authority for which the development has been named. Naomi “Betty” McManus was struck and killed by a car in 2017 while walking her dog. During the groundbreaking ceremony, her daughter Naomi Mathis thanked everyone for being there and shared that her mother liked to say, “Live intentionally with purpose, and make the most of the time we have.”
McManus Manor will provide 39 one-bedroom and two, two-bedroom apartments of affordable apartments for seniors and residents with disabilities at 60 percent of the area median income (AMI) and below. The development is on Main Street across from the Acton Police Department and near the intersection of Route 2, transit, and other amenities.
MHP is providing $4.9 million in permanent financing.
Packard Street Commons | Hudson
Metro West Collaborative Development celebrated the completion of Packard Street Commons in Hudson on May 7 with a ribbon cutting. The development is on the site of the former Hudson Police Station and offers 40 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and townhouses, which are 100 percent affordable at or below 60 percent AMI.
“MHP is proud to provide financing for these new homes,” said MHP Chief of Public and Community Engagement Dana LeWinter. “It’s worth noting a few features that make this project particularly exciting for us. Redevelopment of unused public land and stewardship by the Hudson Affordable Housing Trust, deep affordability for tenants, significant shared outdoor and amenity space for the tenants, great location near an elementary school for kids to attend, and resident services on site.”
MHP is providing $3.7 million in permanent financing.
Catalyst Housing | Lynn
A collaborative housing initiative from Harborlight Homes and The Haven Project was celebrated with a ribbon cutting on May 9. Catalyst Housing in downtown Lynn is dedicated to providing permanent, supportive housing for young adults aged 18-24 who lack access to safe and secure living conditions on the North Shore of Massachusetts. The Haven Project provides supportive services.
The building is a four-floor renovated historic brick building with individual case management, employment and job training programs, housing resources, health care access, mental health coordination, and onsite laundry. Two floors were transformed into 24 affordable studio apartments, which are deeply affordable at or below 30 percent AMI.
A job readiness program is conducted on the first floor by The Haven Project’s social enterprise café, Land of a Thousand Hills.
MHP is providing $2 million in permanent financing for the adaptive reuse of existing commercial space.
YWCA Residences at Ingalls Court | Methuen
An example of three agencies with separate missions working together in support of seniors aging in place was celebrated with a ribbon cutting in Methuen this spring. Developed by the Greater Newburyport YWCA, 14 Ingalls Court features 96 one-bedroom units, for residents 62 and over and 100 percent affordable to households at or below 60 percent AMI. MHP is providing $2.1 million in permanent financing for Phase I, a five-story wood-frame passive house building with two elevators, 48 one-bedroom units and below-grade parking.
Much of the first floor is owned and occupied by Element Care, which is offering a Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), providing home health services. Residents will also have access to Nevins Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Centre, which is located next door. MHP is providing $2.5 million in permanent financing for Phase II, 48 one-bedroom units newly constructed on the site of the demolished former Element Care facility.
Pok Oi Residences | Chinatown
What was once a parking lot at 288 Harrison Street in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood is now affordable housing for 85 households. Beacon Communities and Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of New England (CCBA) celebrated with a ribbon cutting on May 21. The six-story Pok Oi Residences features a mix of one, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, all of which are affordable for families at or below 80 percent AMI.
It addresses the shortage of affordable family housing in Chinatown, which has experienced dramatically rising rents and high housing demand. Nine households within the building will be occupied by those experiencing homelessness.
“What is so critical here is that the partnership between the City of Boston, Beacon Communities and CCBA and the Chinatown community has led to the creation of affordable homes that add value to the rich culture of this existing neighborhood,” said MHP Chief of Public and Community Engagement Dana LeWinter. “The housing challenges facing Massachusetts are enormous, yet when given the opportunity and resources, projects like this show we can meet the moment.”
MHP is providing $11.2 million in permanent financing.
West Newton Armory | Newton
Metro West Collaborative Development (MWCD) and Civico Development marked the adaptive reuse of West Newton Armory, 1135 Washington Street, with a groundbreaking on June 9. The work includes demolishing a rear portion of the decommissioned National Guard Armory, known as the fieldhouse. In its place a four-story addition will be constructed for 43 family apartments — 15 one-bedroom, 21 two-bedroom, and 7 three-bedroom apartments — that will be 100 percent affordable to households at or below 60 percent AMI. The first floor of the front section of the Armory will be renovated into a community room and property management office. The second floor will be adapted to serve as MWCD’s new offices.
“Adaptive reuse projects embody what I love most about the work of affordable housing and community development,” said MHP Chief of Public and Community Engagement Dana LeWinter. “They serve as a reminder that while community change is inevitable, with thoughtful planning, the right resources and partnerships from the municipalities and strong developers we can preserve what makes our communities unique and special while creating more opportunity.”
MHP is providing $4.8 million in permanent financing.
Daniel J. Wuenschel Apartments | Cambridge
A ribbon cutting hosted by the Cambridge Housing Authority on June 12, also included a renaming ceremony. The revitalized 116 Norfolk Street Apartments were renamed the Daniel J. Wuenschel Building, or "Dan's Place," in honor of the former CHA executive director and housing pioneer.
MHP is providing $5.3 million in permanent financing to transform vacant and underutilized yard space to contain a newly constructed 25,00 square foot addition to the existing building, which includes a full gut renovation.
As permanent supportive housing for formerly unhoused individuals, the development provides 62 studio apartments, common spaces for socializing and gathering, and access to outdoor spaces all tucked into a dense residential neighborhood of Cambridge. On-site wraparound services for seniors, people with disabilities and people exiting chronic homelessness are available. Four full-time caseworkers will assist residents.
Units are 100 percent affordable for households at or below 60 percent AMI.
Anchor Point II | Beverly
A ribbon cutting in Beverly at Anchor Point II marked the continued work of Harborlight Homes in creating a neighborhood on what was a parking lot.
MHP has provided $5.4 million in permanent financing for Anchor Point II, the new construction of a 39-unit building of two- and three-bedroom apartments. It is the second phase of the larger Anchor Point project, which MHP also provided permanent financing for, that also includes the 38-unit Phase I rental building and an adjacent Community & Wellness Center.
Units are 100 percent affordable at 60 percent and below AMI.
The campus includes a splash park, community gardens, onsite resident services coordinator and property manager and playground. The development is within walking distance of Beverly High School, Beverly Hospital, and one mile from a commuter rail station and near downtown.
4 Mellen Street | Cambridge
A groundbreaking in Cambridge on June 17 kicked off the planned conversion of a 19th century mansion and construction of an apartment building at the rear of the site, for affordable housing. Four Mellen Street, formerly known as 1627 Massachusetts Avenue, is significant for its association with Charles Saunders, mayor of Cambridge from 1868 to 1869. The three-story building, a blend of Italianate and Second Empire architecture, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The development, by Homeowners Rehab Inc., will be constructed by right under the city’s Affordable Housing Overlay and is a 100 percent adaptive reuse. Common areas include a ground floor shared amenity space and meeting room.
The mansion is being converted into four apartments and a new six-story Passive House building of 25 apartments, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, which will be built on an existing parking lot.
MHP is providing $4.9 million in permanent financing for this transit-oriented development.
Hamilton at Mount Everett | Boston
Spirits were high, as was the temperature in Boston on June 25 for the groundbreaking of Hamilton at Mount Everett in Boston. The temperature reached a sweltering 88 degrees. As a result, event speakers, including MHP Senior Relationship Manager Alma Balonon-Rosen, kept remarks short.
The new Vietnamese American Initiative for Development (VietAid) will create 36 new affordable one-bedroom apartments for Boston residents 62 and older in Dorchester, including four units for seniors transitioning out of homelessness.
The four-story development includes a management office, meeting room, game alcove, package room, bicycle room, and two elevators. It is 100 percent affordable at 60 percent or less AMI.
“As we reflect that 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, the groundbreaking at Hamilton at Mount Everett is a wonderful way to acknowledge the experiences of Vietnamese refugees and immigrants and the positive impact Vietnamese Americans have had on Boston’s cultural landscape,” said Balonon-Rosen.
MHP is providing $4.1 million in permanent financing.
108 Centre Street | Brookline
Hebrew SeniorLife (HSL) celebrated the opening of 108 Centre Street, the newest addition to its Center Communities of Brookline campus with a ribbon cutting ceremony June 26. MHP is providing $5.8 million in permanent financing.
The passive house designed building contains 54 one-bedroom apartments for older adults 62 and up and is 100 percent affordable to households with incomes below 60 percent of AMI. Some of the units will be restricted to households with lower incomes.
Residents in the walkable community will have access to a full range of support, including service coordination, wellness and health programs, lifelong learning and activities, multigenerational programs, and spiritual care. Other services and amenities are provided in coordination with the 336-unit HSL facility for seniors that is already located at the site.
“What's behind me here is not a building, it's a community,” said MHP Executive Director Clark Ziegler. “It's enveloped in services and support and love and caring. That is what it’s all about. That motivates us to do whatever we can to support this kind of work.”
Cheney Homes | Dorchester
The Grove Hall neighborhood of Dorchester was the site of a groundbreaking on July 16. Cheney Homes consists of the construction of a 48-unit, four-story building of one- and two-bedroom units by Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC). The development is 100 percent affordable for households at 60 percent or below AMI with 24 units supported by long-term rental subsidy contracts. The property will provide service-enriched housing for senior households 62 and up. MHP is providing $6.9 million in permanent financing.
The resident services program includes a full-time resident services coordinator and part-time wellness nurse utilizing the PACE program. The location is near MBTA bus service and shopping.
“Cheney Homes will truly be a community of opportunity for our elders of modest means,” said MHP Rental Financing Senior Relationship Manager Alma Balonon-Rosen. “This means housing security for the residents who will be living here. JPNDC has always considered the health of community elders in their senior developments and making sure the needs of those most economically vulnerable are addressed.”
Greenstead Grove | Ludlow
At the ribbon cutting on July 18 for the Greenstead Grove development in Ludlow, MHP Chief of Public and Community Engagement Dana LeWinter applauded Wayfinders for building 43 affordable one- two- and three-bedroom units and spoke of the link between affordable housing and the strength of a community.
“Affordable housing is a crucial component of a thriving region,” she said. “Not an afterthought that we should be squeezing in when and if we have the space, time and resources. Greenstead Grove is a testament to the approach we need.”
The 7 two-story buildings are across the street from the town’s new elementary school and near transit bus stops.
MHP is providing $2.3 million in permanent financing for the development, all of which will serve households with incomes at or below 60 percent of AMI. MHP’s relationship with Wayfinders goes beyond financial support. The Community Assistance Team assisted in the zoning process for Greenstead Grove and The Center for Housing Data is collaborating with Wayfinders and the Western Massachusetts Housing Coalition on ways to analyze and better understand development potential throughout the region. The first report has been issued.
The Rose on Sixth | Cambridge
On July 22, Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) celebrated the start of renovations to the former Sacred Heart Rectory, school, and convent with a groundbreaking at the location in East Cambridge.
Renamed The Rose on Sixth, the former Archdiocese of Boston property will be transformed into 46 affordable apartments. MHP is providing $6.8 million in permanent financing. The adaptive reuse will create affordable homes for the community while preserving and restoring the architectural character of the historic structures.
The property will feature a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, serving residents with a range of incomes below 80 percent AMI. Approximately 20 percent of the apartments will be reserved for households earning below 30 percent AMI, at risk of homelessness.
“This isn’t about building units of housing. This is about housing real people who have their own stories, their own aspirations, and POAH does an incredible job as an owner and property manager,” said MHP Executive Director Clark Ziegler.