LYNN — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll joined Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Department of Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox to announce a Permanent Supportive Housing Grant Award to the Hennessey House in downtown Lynn. The Hennessy House was among 12 affordable projects across the state receiving $62 million in state and federal subsidies.
The Hennessey House is a historic single-room occupancy (SRO) property in downtown Lynn. Affordable Housing Associates of Lynn (AHL), a nonprofit corporation in partnership with the Lynn Housing Authority and Neighborhood Development (LHAND), will convert this traditional SRO to 51 one-bedroom units with private kitchens and bathrooms and will improve the overall accessibility of the building by adding an elevator.
“My administration is committed to advancing affordable housing efforts and ensuring our community has access to safe and equitable housing opportunities,” said Mayor Jared Nicholson. “I’m thrilled that with Lynn’s ARPA funding, we were able to support the Hennessey
House project, which will provide much-needed housing options for individuals in the City, and I applaud Gov. Healey for these state investments that will address the current housing crisis and support our most vulnerable residents”
In total, these state awards will create more than 460 housing units, nearly all of which will be reserved for low-income households and include 317 units for very low-income residents. Permanent supportive housing provides affordable housing for vulnerable populations with targeted supportive services to address a diverse range of needs, including case management, job training, childcare, health and support services. These grant include projects for chronically homeless individuals, adults with disabilities, families transitioning from homelessness, vulnerable youth, and low-income seniors.
“The rehab and preservation of affordable units in the Hennessey House proposal is consistent with the goals and recommendations from the City’s recently adopted housing production plan,” said LHAND Executive Director Charles Gaeta. “Not only will the residents benefit with the rehabilitation of the units and additional on-site services, but this investment will also help stabilize and revitalize the downtown neighborhood.”
The Hennessey House will have a total of 51 units of which 23 units will be restricted for very low-income individuals, many of whom will be transitioning from homelessness, and the remaining units will be restricted for low-income residents with less than 60 percent of the area median income. The City of Lynn has committed local HOME and ARPA funds to the project, along with receiving the awarded DHCD subsidies, which could be more than $5.25 million.
“AHL is committed to preserving this building for low-income tenants by transforming the traditional SRO single rooms into units with kitchens and baths and significantly increasing the services available to these tenants,” said AHL President Robert Ferrari. “The traditional SRO housing is not safe in the post-Covid society; we are creating a safer living environment with more dignity for these residents.”
LHAND will work to put together a service plan that works for each individual tenant. Another key aspect of the service plan is that the tenant services will be provided on-site as the space on the ground floor will be a newly created multi-agency service center working in collaboration with LHAND.
“AHL and this building have a long history of collaboration with the Lynn Housing Authority and Neighborhood Development. The two agencies have worked together to house many diverse populations over the years,” said AHL board member Magnolia Contreras. “Both are committed to providing safe, decent housing for Lynn’s at-risk homeless population. It is this collaboration that drives this project.”
