LOWELL — On July 2, 2024, Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, and Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus announced the allotment of $27 million in Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) awards to create 547 new units in 11 Gateway Cities across the state.
“We expanded the HDIP program in our tax cuts package because it has a proven track record of spurring housing development in Gateway Cities and lowering costs,” Governor Healey said in a statement. “Our Gateway Cities are vital centers for industry and culture while also being positioned to help provide the housing we need to meet the demand. These funds help make projects possible that will create hundreds of homes, revitalize neighborhoods and strengthen our communities.”
Last fall, as part of a $1 billion tax cut package signed by the Governor, the annual HDIP program cap was increased from $10 million to $57 million for 2023 and will be $30 million annually going forward, Mass.gov reported. This increase enabled the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to fund all 13 project applications in this round.
“These projects are a direct result of the governor’s tax relief bill,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Augustus. “Our vacancy rate is at an all-time low, and these awards will create much needed multi-family housing across our state. We look forward to continuing to work with the legislature to pass the Affordable Homes Act this year to create much-needed housing across all income levels in the state.”
HDIP is a tool for Gateway Cities in the state to develop more market-rate housing, supporting economic development, diversifying the housing stock, and creating more vibrant neighborhoods.
Gateway Cities are defined by Massachusetts law as small to midsized cities in the Commonwealth with populations between 35,000 and 250,000. Although Gateway Cities anchor regional economies around the state, their population is largely below the state’s average household income and educational attainment rates.
The funds were allocated to the following 13 awardees in 11 Gateway Cities:
Linnell Landing – Barnstable
- Sponsor: Jacob Dewey of CCR Holdings
- HDIP award: $690,000
- Total units: 15
Ringside Residences – Brockton
- Sponsor: Joseph Goncalves of New Vision Enterprises
- HDIP award: $2,500,000
- Total units: 50
Sacred Heart Lofts – Fall River
- Sponsor: Charles Haijar of Hajjar Management Company
- HDIP award: $2,500,000
- Total units: 36
Union Belt Company Lofts – Fall River
- Sponsor: Anthony Cordeiro of Downtown Development
- HDIP award: $2,500,000
- Total units: 46
Franklin Block – Haverhill
- Sponsor: Jonathon Cody of Atlantic Investments
- HDIP award: $1,300,000
- Total units: 21
Wrights Block – Holyoke
- Sponsor: Bill Womeldorf of Urbanist Development
- HDIP award: $2,000,000
- Total units: 19
The JAV – Lawrence
- Sponsor: Johan Lopez of Jowamar Companies LLC
- HDIP award: $2,200,000
- Total units: 24
Hildreth Building – Lowell
- Sponsor: David Steinberg of RCG LLC
- HDIP award: $2,500,000
- Total units: 50
Isobel Lofts – Lowell
- Sponsor: Justin McFarlane of Nine Zero Two Development
- HDIP award: $2,000,000
- Total units: 26
Wright Building Block – Pittsfield
- Sponsor: A.C. Enterprises of Lou Allegrone Phase 1:
- HDIP award: $2,581,672
- Total units: 21 Phase 2:
- HDIP award: $1,518,014
- Total units: 14
5 Broad Street – Salem
- Sponsor: Bill Luster of Charing Cross Realty
- HDIP award: $1,500,000
- Total units: 16
Parsons Apartments – Springfield
- Sponsor: Joyna Filippides of Davenport Advisors
- HDIP award: $630,000
- Total units: 11
Chestnut Place Office Conversion – Worcester
- Sponsor: David Greaney of Synergy
- HDIP award: $2,500,000
- Total units: 198
