3,400 Lottery Applicants for 35 Units of Affordable Housing

When tallied on Thursday, May 12, more than 3,400 applications were  submitted for 35 units of affordable housing under construction by the Somerville Community Corporation.The four-story Union Square complex will include apartments for families earning at or below 60% of the area median income, or $59,100 for a family of four.  

Eight of the apartments at 181 Washington Street are being set aside for families earning at or below 30% of area median income. Three will be for families with physical disabilities or impairments. And two are being made available to currently  homeless families. All of the units will be constructed to meet LEED for Homes Mid-rise Certification (Platinum Level) and ENERGY STAR Multi-Family High Rise Certification. 

Full lease up of the apartments will be achieved by fall 2016. Seventy percent of the units have a set-aside preference for households either living or working in Somerville. 

A Need for Affordability

“While SCC expected strong demand for the 35 units, we did not expect to receive nearly 100 applicants for each available unit,” said Scott Hayman, SCC’s director of real estate. “The unprecedented number of applicants tells us what we already know about Somerville. This is a highly desirable area in which to live and raise families. And median income families and individuals are finding it harder to remain in this community.”

In addition to the housing units, the property at 181 Washington Street, the former location of the Boys and Girls Club, will include ground floor commercial/retail space. Read more about the origins of the project, including funding and information on the architect and general contractor.