BOSTON – December 5, 2024 – An array of public and private financing is in place for The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB) to redevelop a former hotel on Boston’s Morrissey Boulevard into 99 new studio apartments with supportive services through Pine Street Inn for individuals moving out of homelessness.

900 Morrissey Boulevard will be developed with green and energy efficient components and deeply affordable to individuals earning up to 30 percent of the Area Median Income.

"The redevelopment of the hotel at 900 Morrissey Boulevard in Boston is the second partnership between TCB and PSI. It underscores TCB’s commitment to developing housing for the most vulnerable among us," said Andy Waxman, TCB's Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development, New England. "The ability to pair permanent housing with wrap-around supportive services for seniors moving out of chronic homelessness allows us to act on our core belief that housing is more than four walls and shows that we can pave the way towards a long-term solution to chronic homelessness."

"The transformation of 900 Morrissey Boulevard into homes for older adults moving out of homelessness exemplifies Boston's unwavering commitment to making our city a home for everyone," said Sheila A. Dillon, Boston's Chief of Housing. "By pairing supportive services with sustainable, energy-efficient housing, we are helping our most vulnerable neighbors build brighter futures while strengthening our entire city. I'd like to thank and congratulate our development and financing partners for their hard work and collaboration on this crucial project."

"MassHousing is excited for the residents who will call 900 Morrissey Boulevard home and see new opportunities opened to them by having an affordable and stable place to live,” said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay. "This was truly a collaborative effort among all the partners involved with the common goal of developing this deeply affordable and supportive housing community."

TCB will manage the property and Pine Street Inn will provide on-site services for residents, ranging from supporting everyday activities in their homes, accessing the medical care necessary to help each individual lead a stable life and remain in their apartment long-term, to workforce development opportunities.

"Pine Street Inn is thrilled to partner with The Community Builders on these apartments so 99 vulnerable individuals will have a safe, stable place to live," said Pine Street President and Executive Director Lyndia Downie. "With a 96 percent retention rate after a year, we know that permanent housing with support is extremely effective as we connect people with medical and mental health services, job training and jobs, and other community resources."

TCB is developing 900 Morrissey Boulevard with financing from the City of Boston, MassHousing, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, Eastern Bank, the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation, and the allocation of federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits.

The ground floor of the former hotel will be adapted to create office and community spaces, while existing hotel rooms on floors two through five will be converted into 99 studio apartments through the addition of kitchenettes, new appliances, unit finishes, flooring, and lighting. The 99 units will be supported by HUD's Section 8 program.

TCB plans to achieve Enterprise Green Communities 2020 certification by including in-unit aerators projected to save an estimated 500,000 gallons of water each year, as well as an air-cooled variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heat recovery system to condition and heat the first-floor office and amenity spaces with an energy recovery ventilation (ERV) system to provide dedicated outside air and exhaust from first-floor spaces. The building introduces fresh air into all apartments and eliminates an unused paved parking area to install a community garden and green space.

The general contractor is Commodore Builders, and the architect is BWA Architecture. 

About The Community Builders 

The Community Builders’ mission is to build and sustain strong communities where all people can thrive. Their mission-driven businesses work with partners to develop, finance and operate residential communities, neighborhood amenities and opportunity programs for families, seniors and adults with disabilities. Since 1964, they have advanced housing equity through award-winning affordable and mixed-income communities and our pioneering Community Life model for resident success. Today, their ownership and management portfolio include over 14,000 apartment homes. Anchored by offices in Boston, Chicago, Columbus, New York and Washington D.C., they operate across 15 states.

About the Mayor's Office of Housing

The Mayor's Office of Housing (MOH) works with partners to create and preserve affordable housing and prevent displacement, while supporting at-risk residents with housing stabilization services. MOH leads Continuum of Care services for Boston, connecting unsheltered individuals and those struggling with substance abuse disorder to housing and care. Through the Boston Home Center, MOH provides funding and technical assistance to boost homeownership opportunities for BIPOC and lower-income residents and supports critical repairs to make Boston’s housing stock climate-ready and fossil fuel free. As stewards of tax-foreclosed land and buildings, MOH works with Boston’s residents to create and preserve urban agriculture and open space. For more information, please visit the MOH website. 

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 approximately $29 billion for affordable housing. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Pine Street Inn

Supporting more than 2,000 individuals daily, Pine Street’s mission is to end homelessness by providing permanent housing, job training, emergency shelter and street outreach, with a goal of moving individuals off the street, out of shelter and back to a home and community. Pine Street currently supports 1,100 individuals in 39 housing locations in Boston and Brookline. For more information, go to PineStreetInn.org or follow Pine Street Inn on Facebook, Twitter(X), Instagram and LinkedIn.

###