Somerville Awarded $4.4M For Clarendon Hill Redevelopment

SOMERVILLE, MA — The state awarded Somerville a $4.4 million MassWorks grant this week to support the $130 million Clarendon Hill redevelopment project. The grant will fund roadway improvements and drainage work to move the housing project forward, according to a state press release.

The project will include redeveloping the 1940s style, 216-unit Clarendon Hill complex, which serves low-income residents, and building 80 new middle-income units and 295 market-rate units. It will also rebuild the intersection of Powder House Boulevard and Alewife Brook PArkway to improve safety and accessibility.

The project is part of the city's goal to create 6,000 new housing units by 2030. Gov. Charlie Baker has also set a statewide goal of 135,000 new housing units by 2025.

"MassWorks is a valuable program that maximizes return on investment for capital funding, delivering vital infrastructure repairs that improve public safety while stimulating local and private development, job growth and housing production," Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement. "This MassWorks round put particular emphasis on housing production, and we are proud to partner with the City of Somerville and their non-profit and development partners to address both local and statewide housing challenges through the creation of housing for residents across all income levels."

The Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) and Gate Residential, an affiliate of Redgate, have committed $600,000 as a MassWorks match. The development team for the project is a partnership between the City of Somerville, Somerville Housing Authority, Somerville Community Corporation, POAH and Gate Residential. The project is being financed by leveraging private and tax credit equity together with the addition of market-rate and middle-income units, as well as support from the Department of Housing and Community Development and MassHousing.