City Dedicates 72 Units of Workforce Housing

A ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday marked the opening of a new 72-unit, mixed income housing development off route 110 and Interstate 495 in Haverhill.

Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentinti; Rep. Brian S. Dempsey of Haverhill, House Ways and Means Committee chairman; and Massachusetts Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Undersecretary Chrystal Kornegay were among those on hand to open phase one of Tenney Place, West Lowell Avenue, according to a statement. The one, two and three-bedroom apartments are partially funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Mass Housing Partnership, DHCD and the City of Haverhill, which contributed a portion of their HOME Funds.

“I am proud to continue the mission of providing quality housing that people in our city can afford,” Fiorentini said. “Keeping Haverhill an affordable community for all of our residents is a priority of my administration.”

In 2014, DHCD awarded a number of state and federal subsidies and tax credits to phase one of Tenney Place. It also received financing from Mass Housing Partnership, MassHousing, Bank of America and Boston Community Capital. As WHAV reported in July, 2014, 56 units were earmarked to families earning less than 60 percent of area median income (AMI) and eight units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of AMI. The remaining units will be rented at market rate.

“The Tenney Place project and the housing units it includes, fulfill a vital need in the city of Haverhill.  With all of the exciting economic redevelopment occurring in downtown Haverhill, it is important that we invest in affordable housing to ensure a strong and vibrant community,” Dempsey said.

In August, as WHAV also reported, the Baker administration awarded Dakota Partners of Waltham, developers of Tenney Place, a share of $90 million in new housing tax credits and subsidies. to construct the development’s second phase. It will offer an additional 72 units of mixed-income housing with the same qualifications as phase one.

“Tenney Place shows what great results can be achieved when capable private developers like Dakota Partners work in partnership with local government,” said Massachusetts Housing Partnership Executive Director Clark Ziegler. “The City of Haverhill has been a statewide leader in support of new housing production for all income levels and we are pleased to provide much of the low-cost, long-term financing that has made that possible.”

“Housing that people can afford gives communities the security to succeed, and continue to be thriving, vibrant and inclusive places for all of our families,” Kornegay said. “We are incredibly pleased to support both phases of this project and look forward to returning for more opportunities to celebrate with the Haverhill community.”

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