Thank you, Winchester Savings Bank!

Winchester Savings Bank President & CEO, Peter Segerstrom, and Senior Vice President and Senior Loan Officer,  Carl Flumerfelt, presented HCA Executive Director, Pamela Hallett, with a $500 donation to support HCA's affordable housing and homelessness prevention work:

Carl joined HCA's Board of Directors last November & 

HCA is thrilled to be working with him! 

Capitol Square Apartments Ribbon Cutting

On the morning of December 12, HCA was pleased to celebrate the completion of its Capitol Square Apartments building, 258 Massachusetts Avenue, the first of three buildings on the property that will hold 32 affordable units upon completion this winter. 100 HCA supporters came out to celebrate and listen to speakers including Arlington Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine, Cedric Kam from U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development’s Undersecretary of Housing Aaron Gornstein, Peter Sargent from Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation, Gregory Bowe from Cambridge Savings Bank, Tony Fracasso from MassDevelopment and Eastern Bank’s President, Robert Rivers.  Cambridge Savings Bank sponsored the morning’s festivities, and the event concluded with the guests touring the completed units. 

Mark Lesses, HCA’s Vice President and Vice President of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, started the morning off by welcoming the crowd and discussing the significance of the units, “Capitol Square Apartments is HCA’s largest project yet and the first Arlington property to receive low-income housing tax credits from Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development.”

Units will be affordable in perpetuity serving low-income households at or below 60% of area median income. The buildings offer a mix of apartment sizes: 6 studio units, 17 one-bedroom units and 9 two-bedroom units with 32 units overall.

Bus service is available at the front door and many retail and other services are within walking distance.  “With a bus stop right out front,” stated Undersecretary Gornstein, “This is the true meaning of transit-oriented development!”

In an elegant benediction over the building, Pastor Christine Elliott of Calvary Church gave thanks, “…for the dream which made this day possible and the patience and tenacity which have brought it to life; for the tireless work and dedication, day in and day out, of HCA staff and Board members; for the partnership and teamwork of public and private sectors and for all who have advocated and contributed money, time and heart; for the support of this community and a town that cares for all persons; for the workers who have given their strength and skill to this project…”

For more photos, please check out our Facebook page!

Celebrate the Holidays with HCA's Ribbon Cutting!

Celebrate the holidays with an affordable housing gift to the Arlington community at our

 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for 

Capitol Square Apartments Project!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

8:30 AM

258 Mass Avenue

Arlington, MA 02474

Light refreshments will be served.

Kindly RSVP to Joanna at  
jain@housingcorparlington.org or 781-316-3606.

Capitol Square Apartments Project Funders
Town of Arlington
Brookline Bank
Cambridge Savings Bank
Eastern Bank
Massachusetts A­ffordable Housing Trust Fund
Massachusetts Department of Housing and  Community Development
Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation
MassDevelopment
North Suburban Consortium HOME Program
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

An additional thank you to our
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Sponsor,
Cambridge Savings Bank!

Capitol Square Apartments Project Closing Announcement!

Housing Corporation of Arlington (HCA) is pleased to announce closing on our Capitol Square Apartments Project, the first Arlington property to receive low-income housing tax credits from the Massachusetts Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).  

“Capitol Square Apartments Project  is HCA’s most exciting endeavor yet,” states Paul Parravano, HCA Board President, “In size, scope of work, diversity of funding, location—it all adds up to a monumental achievement for HCA and our supporters.”

The acquisition and redevelopment of these properties required a complex mix of both private and public financing, including Community Development Block Grant funds from the Town of Arlington, local HOME Program funds, state Affordable Housing Trust Funds, stabilization funds through DHCD, low-income housing tax credits (4%), tax-exempt bond financing through Eastern Bank, state and federal historic tax credits with investors Brookline Bank and Cambridge Savings Bank, and HUD funding through the McKinney-Vento Program.  The total cost of this venture is approximately $11 million.

Applications are currently available on the HCA website, at the HCA office, and at the Robbins Library.  Applications must be postmarked by noon on November 1 to be eligible for the lottery on November 7. The units will start renting to new tenants this winter. 

Capitol Square Apartments: How to Apply

As we transition from summer to fall, you will begin to notice quite a few changes around Capitol Square Apartments. The Capitol Square team is working to close our construction loan so the renovation can begin. Within weeks, you will all begin to notice workers on site and hear the sounds of the transformation of this historic property.

Anyone who is interested in applying for an apartment at Capitol Square can obtain an application at Housing Corporation of Arlington offices, the Robbins Library in Arlington Center or Peabody Properties in Braintree. The application is also available online. You must complete a new application even if you are currently on HCA’s waiting list.

Some more dates to remember: On September 13, we will conduct infor­mational sessions to explain the lottery process. Those will be held at 4 PM and 6 PM on the first floor of the Arlington Senior Center at 27 Maple Street in Arlington Center. We will accept applications until October 31. Then, on November 7 at 2 PM, we will conduct the lottery on the first floor of the Arlington Senior Center. Peabody Properties will process applications selected on that date and notify the applicants. If there are not enough qualifying applicants identified from the initial lottery, additional applications will be drawn until all the apartments are leased.

We are very excited about the progress we’re making at Capitol Square--Stay tuned for more updates!

Treasurer Grossman to be at 2012 Annual Meeting!

Exciting news...Don't Forget to RSVP!

Join HCA friends and supporters at our

2012 Annual Meeting

Keynote Speaker,

State Treasurer Steve Grossman

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Tango

464 Massachusetts Avenue 

Arlington Center

7:30 AM Registration & Breakfast

8:15 AM Program

Kindly RSVP to Joanna at jain@housingcorparlington.org or 781-316-3606 by Tuesday, October 9, 2012.

Say Farewell to David & Welcome to Pam!

Celebrate with us

Say Farewell to David and
Welcome to Pam! 

David J. Levy has been serving low-income households in Arlington for 8 years as HCA's Executive Director.  We are saddened to say goodbye to our good friend, David, but delighted to celebrate HCA's accomplishments throughout his tenure. Through his tireless efforts, David has been a key player in putting HCA on the map. 

At the same time, we look forward to introducing our new Executive Director, Pamela Hallett!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

3:00 to 5:00 PM

Tryst

689 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA 02476

Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served.  There will be a cash bar.

A suggested donation to the Housing Corporation of Arlington of $25 per guest in David' s honor will help HCA continue our homelessness prevention and affordable housing work in Arlington and surrounding communities.  

RSVP by June 18, 2012 to Joanna Ain at 781.316.3606 or jain@housingcorparlington.org. 

Welcome, Pam!

HCA is pleased to announce that Pamela Hallett will be joining the organization as its new Executive Director. Pam comes to the position with over 25 years of affordable housing and community development experience.

Her past experience includes 20 years with her own development/consulting firm which specialized in affordable housing.  The firm developed more than 1,500 units of housing, securing more than $100 million in construction and permanent financing.  It provided expertise in tax credits, financing, planning, construction monitoring, energy conservation and negotiations. 

Most recently, Pam was the Neighborhood Stabilization Program Manager for The Community Builders, Inc. where she managed the $78 million loan program funded by HUD to revitalize and stabilize neighborhoods in nine states and the District of Columbia.  In addition, Pam has served on a variety of boards and committees of non-profit organizations over the years, including the Chicago Low Income Housing Trust Fund, DevCorp North, Windy City Habitat for Humanity, Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing, and the Greater Illinois People’s Cooperative. 

Pam has deep Arlington roots.  Her maternal grandparents moved to Arlington from Newton in 1932.  And although Pam grew up in Bedford, her parents returned to Arlington in 1984. Pam now lives in the Heights.

“On behalf of HCA’s board and staff, we are truly excited to have Pam on board,” said HCA Board President, Paul Parravano, “Her energy, enthusiasm and wealth of affordable housing knowledge are exactly what we were looking for in order to move Housing Corporation of Arlington into its next phase of growth. We’re so grateful to HCA Board Member, Mark Lesses, and his committee members for their diligence, thoughtfulness and many hours of hard work to find our next Executive Director.”

You can reach Pamela Hallett at 781-316-3429 and phallett@housingcorparlington.org.

First Parish Youth Group Host Music & Art Benefit for HCA

While it’s not unusual for young adults to spend their Saturday nights attending live concerts, one church youth group did something out of the ordinary with their Saturday night—they put on their own live concert. The seventy plus members of the First Parish Youth Group marketed, played in, sold tickets for and MCed their Music & Art Benefit on Saturday, April 28 to support our 11th Annual Walk for Affordable Housing, which took place the next day.

The youth group’s theme for the year was Homes & Homelessness. When choosing a beneficiary for the Music & Art Benefit, the group wanted something that benefited Arlington as a community—something close to home rather than in Boston or another city. HCA's Walk for Affordable Housing was also the next day, and many of the youth were signed up to go.

Erika Tai, the Social Action Coordinator of the First Parish Youth Group, stated, “This year, we realized how much the issue of homes and homelessness affects Arlington. Usually, when we think of these concerns, we think of them in the context of big cities, like Boston. Before this year, many of us did not understand how much these issues affect Arlington.”

A night of live music, a silent art auction and food donated from Anna’s Taqueria, this benefit is the First Parish Youth Group’s largest fundraiser each year. Several groups of young talent played original pieces. Others performed covers of their favorite recent hits. All the art was donated from the local community—youth group members, high school students, and adults inside the church.

“The feeling throughout the night was great, and it was one of the most successful fundraisers we’ve held, raising $3,000 in one evening,” remarked Erika.

Debby Lewis, longtime HCA board member and First Parish member, spoke to the crowd, “The First Parish Youth Group has been supportive of our Walk for the past eleven years, but this year, they really outdid themselves! We are so appreciative of their energy, support and dedication to affordable housing issues in Arlington.”

Spring Clean Up!

Love gardening?  Love HCA?

Join us for our...

Spring Clean Up! 

Saturday, May 12

9 AM – Noon

Spend a morning cleaning up some of HCA's properties with HCA supporters!  

Contact Joanna at jain@housingcorparlington.org or

781-316-3606 for more details.

Rock for the Walk for Affordable Housing!

Exciting News! First Parish's Youth Group will be holding a benefit for our
11th Annual Walk for Affordable Housing!:

Rock for the

Walk for Affordable Housing!

Saturday, April 28; 7:00 PM;

First Parish of Arlington

A night of live music, a silent art auction, great food, and community!

Tickets: $10 ahead of time, $12 at the door
Available at First Parish's Coffee Hour on April 15 & April 22 or from

First Parish Youth Group members in the week prior to the event.

All proceeds from the event will go to

Housing Corporation of Arlington via the

Walk for Affordable Housing.

Create your own WALK PAGE!

HCA is thrilled to partner with First Giving for our 11^th Annual Walk for Affordable Housing to make it easier for you to support you neighbors who desperately need affordable housing in our community.

Click here to create your Walk Page TODAY!

Save the Date: Walk 2012!

HCA’s Eleventh Annual Walk for Affordable Housing

Sunday, April 29, 2012

1:00-3:00 PM

Jason Russell House

(corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Jason Street)

Stay tuned for more info!

HCA Welcomes Mary-Anne Morrison to our Board of Directors!

HCA is thrilled to welcome Mary-Anne Morrison to our Board of Directors!

Mary-Anne retired from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in April 2011, having served as its Director of Rental Assistance with oversight responsibility for its 27,000-unit federal and state rental assistance portfolio, the Commonwealth’s nine Housing Consumer Education Centers and the Rental Assistance for Families in Transition Program. She began her affordable housing career working on public housing issues in 1971. In 1975, she was asked to assist in the start-up of DHCD’s first allocation of 1,056 Section 8 units. For the following 36 years until her retirement, Mary-Anne shepherded DHCD’s Section 8 program’s growth to 19,500 units, making it the country’s seventh largest Housing Choice Voucher Program and one of its most diversified, with numerous set-asides for special populations, a very large project-based voucher component, and the sixth largest Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) voucher program in the nation.

Currently, Mary-Anne is in the process of founding her own business, Mac3advocates, which will offer family field trip fellowships to parents participating on the Section 8 FSS program and their children. She and her husband, John, and their two children, Ben and Liz, moved to Arlington in 1987.