Somerville Affordable Housing Lottery: 2 Units In Davis Square

SOMERVILLE, MA – Somerville officials on Tuesday announced an affordable rental opportunity for two units at the Chadwick building, 131 Orchard St., in Davis Square. The units are available for eligible households with a combined gross income at or below 50 percent or between 51 and 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) through an application and lottery process.

The Chadwick is a 28-unit, four-story brick building with an elevator. There are 28 on-site storage units and indoor bicycle parking spaces with a lock for rent. Other features include hardwood floors, cherry cabinets, granite counters, stainless steel appliances, a coin-operated laundry facility and independent heat controls.

The Chadwick does not offer any car parking on site. Street parking is available to Somerville residents with a permit. The Chadwick is located a short distance from the Community Bike Path and the Davis Square bus and T station. The cost of heating hot water is included, however the building’s heat is electric, and electric is not included in the price.

Income eligible households who lived at the Chadwick building in August of 2016 when LaCourt Enterprises LLC provided households with a notice of renovations are eligible for the highest preference in this lottery. Households who currently reside or work full time in Somerville (30 hours or more per week) and provide current verification dated within the last 30 days from the date the application was submitted may be eligible for the second preference.

Unit 31, a one-bedroom rental unit, will be available to households with incomes at or below 80 percent AMI for a monthly rent of $1,031, excluding utilities such as electricity. The household income limits are the total gross income limits for a household, adjusted by the number of persons in the household including children or adults without income. More information on the 51-80 percent limits can be found below:

Unit B1, a two-bedroom rental unit, will be available to households with a minimum gross annual income of $20,280, as the monthly rent will be $1,202 per month excluding utilities such as electricity. Minimum incomes are not applicable to households participating in the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), Section 8 or other similar program. The household’s combined annual gross income cannot exceed the 50 percent AMI limit adjusted by household size. For two-bedroom units, a minimum household size of two persons is required. For more information on the 50 percent AMI income limits see below:

Additional restrictions apply for units available through the City of Somerville’s Inclusionary Housing Program including: 1) both heads of households cannot be full time students and 2) an asset limit of $250,000 excluding restricted retirement, college savings and health plans. Inclusionary units must be the household’s primary principal residence. The unit cannot be subleased; rooms cannot be placed on AirBnB or similar websites. Households who move into these units are subject to annual income re-certifications to ensure their continued eligibility. Interested applicants should prepare to proceed with an income certification after the lottery. The Housing Division recommends households begin now to collect their: 1) 2017 Federal Tax Returns (all pages and schedules), W2s and 1099s, and 2) the most recent three months of all income and all asset statements. The City reserves the right to request more income/asset information during the income certification.

The Housing Division and LaCourt Realty host an information session to review income and asset eligibility requirements, the application and lottery process and restrictions. The information session will take place on Wednesday, November 7, at 10:30 a.m. on the 4th floor of the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA), 405 Alewife Brook Parkway. If you are driving to the second information session, please park at Dilboy Field. Please allow time to sign into the building as all guests must sign in.

Pre-lottery applications are now available on the City of Somerville’s Inclusionary Housing Program website or physically at the City Hall Annex located at 50 Evergreen Ave., City Hall located at 93 Highland Ave and all Somerville Public Library branches.

Complete applications must be receive by the Housing Division located on the first floor of the Somerville City Hall Annex at 50 Evergreen Ave. by 10:30 a.m. on Monday, December 3, 2018. Applications must be completed and signed by all adult household members. Please write N/A in sections that do not apply to you. Incomplete and late application will not be accepted.

Complete applications can be submitted via email to abueno@somervillema.gov or ipcabadas@somervillema.gov, via fax at 617-666-8035, or mail and in person at the Annex. The Housing Division is open Monday-Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Friday from 8:30a.m. to 12:30 p.m. If you have questions regarding preferences contact Ithzel Polanco-Cabadas at 617-625-6600 ext. 2586. If you have any additional questions regarding this opportunity please contact Andres Bueno at 617-625-6600 ext. 2584.

Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact the City’s Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Nency Salamoun, at 617-625-6600 x2323 or nsalamoun@somervillema.gov.

Materials from the city of Somerville were used in this story. Image via Shutterstock