Congressman Auchincloss, Housing Secretary and elected officials speak at renovation tour in Attleboro
ATTLEBORO, MA - Congressman Jake Auchincloss, Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities Juana Matias and local elected officials joined Preservation of Affordable Housing at a tour of the progress of renovations at Hebronville Mill Apartments, a 134 unit mixed-income housing development with 123 affordable rentals in the historic Hebronville area of Attleboro.
Hebronville Mill and the adjoining Gardner Terrace II are two historic mill properties, originally built on the Ten-Mile River in the mid-1800s and converted to housing roughly 40 years ago; both had fallen into serious disrepair prior to POAH’s acquisition of the Attleboro portfolio in August 2020. Four smaller buildings, two of which are historic, are also included in the project, contributing an additional 18 family units.
The buildings require extensive renovations to bring the units up to code, energy efficiency and to reinforce the structures and systems including roof improvements and elevator modernization as well as the construction of a dedicated common space for residents. Apartments are being fully renovated from floor to ceiling with new surfaces on all sides as well as new cabinets, fixtures, and systems.
"Massachusetts' former mill properties are rich in character and history and continue to be one of our greatest tools in meeting our housing demands. Thanks to trusted partners like POAH, we can preserve and renovate these historic properties and provide residents with housing options they can actually afford," said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Juana Matias. "HLC is proud to play a role in making projects like these possible."
Last year, POAH completed renovations on Gardner Terrace I, a former jewelry factory on Pine Street that was converted into residential housing in the 1980s. Renovations included installing historic replica windows to preserve the building's architectural character, adding a high-efficiency heating and cooling system and upgraded ventilation.
"The City of Attleboro is grateful for POAH's commitment to redeveloping historic and underutilized properties in the community for affordable housing, and for doing so with an incredible level of attention and care,” said Attleboro Mayor Cathleen DeSimone. “These projects not only improve the quality of life for building residents, but also for the city as a whole."
The project is financed with $23.4 million in 4% Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity and $11.6 million in Federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC) equity through Hudson Housing Capital; $15.5 million in Massachusetts State LIHTC equity and $4.4 million in Massachusetts HTC equity through Clocktower Tax Credits; $2.1 million from the Housing Stabilization Fund through the MA Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities; and $71.9 million in permanent and construction financing through MassHousing.
“This restoration work will secure valuable housing subsidies and deliver critical physical improvements, preserving the assets for many years to come for low income residents in Attleboro while maintaining the special historic character of these buildings,” said POAH President and CEO Aaron Gornstein.
About POAH
Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) is a nonprofit developer, owner, and operator of more than 14,000 affordable homes in 13 states and the District of Columbia. POAH’s mission is to preserve, create, and sustain affordable, healthy homes that support economic security and access to opportunity for all. www.poah.org and @poahcommunities