In recent years, Housing Assistance and POAH (Preservation of Affordable Housing) have been developing Brewster Woods, a project that will bring 30 new affordable apartments for families in the Lower Cape community. In November, the project took a huge step forward when the Town of Brewster received a $1.68 million MassWorks grant that will provide the streets and other infrastructure necessary to begin construction.
Lt. Governor Karyn Polito announced the award at the Brewster Council of Aging where she was joined by Massachusetts Department of Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, Department of Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Janelle Chan, State Senator Julian Cyr, Brewster Town Administrator Peter Lombardi, and Brewster Select Board Member Benjamin deRuyter.
Lt. Governor Polito highlighted the impact of the MassWorks program which has enabled 11,000 new units of housing to be built across the state. “Many of you know we have a housing crisis here in the Commonwealth,” she said. “We don’t have enough supply to meet the demand. We anticipate needing 135,000 new units of housing by 2025. That is right around the corner and we need partners like you here in Brewster to create that opportunity.”
Lt. Governor Karyn Polito highlights the need for more affordable housing across the Commonwealth.
While the MassWorks program provides critical funding that makes projects like Brewster Woods possible, Secretary Kennealy said, “What it really funds at the end of the day is community. It lets a community come together and say, ‘This project is important to us. Here’s something we want to use to advance our aspirations and goals in partnership with the state and developers and community groups and others to come together and advance something of importance.’”
Brewster Woods is still awaiting funding from the state’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program to enable construction to begin.
“The people in our region are in desperate need of more affordable and attainable rental options,” said Housing Assistance CEO Alisa Magnotta. “We are delighted to be working closely with POAH and the town to build these apartments at Brewster Woods, and we are extremely grateful for the MassWorks grant that is critical to making this housing project financially feasible.”
Massachusetts Department of Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy addresses the crowd during the MassWorks Grant announcement for Brewster Woods.
