Brewster Woods

Brewster Woods on Cape Cod created 30 affordable rental apartments in this popular vacation area with typically high housing costs. The development serves low- and moderate-income households and includes 8 one-bedroom,19 two -bedroom, and 3 three-bedroom units and has a rooftop solar array that offsets the cost of electricity. Developed by POAH and Housing Assistance Corporation, with strong support from the Town of Brewster and the State of Massachusetts, Brewster Woods is targeted to those who work in the community but cannot afford to live there -- teachers, service workers, and healthcare workers. Brewster Woods is certified passive house under the strict Passive House Institute of the US (PHIUS) standard. The buildings are fossil-fuel free and include a large photovoltaic solar array expected to produce upwards of 175,000 kWh, high-efficiency & all-electric heating, cooling, and hot-water systems, and air-tight wall assemblies with triple-pane windows and three inches of rigid insulation. The project’s energy efficient approach enables residents to have no utility bills and ensures comfort and well-being with excellent fresh air distribution and consistent temperature control.

The project has seven project-based vouchers to serve households below 30% of AMI in addition to three Section 811 supportive housing units, allowing low-income persons with disabilities to have access to appropriate supportive services so they may live as independently as possible.

A $1.68 million Massworks grant funded site clearing and infrastructure - roads, sidewalks, and utilities. The project also benefited from a $2.4 million loan from the Massachusetts Housing Partnership; $1 million in Affordable Housing Trust Funds from MassHousing; $1 million in DHCD HSF funding, $450,000 from Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation; $550,000 in Brewster Community Preservation Act money; and $800,000 in local and state HOME funding ($250,000 from the local HOME Consortium and $550,000 from the state's Department of Housing and Community Development funds). Cape Light Compact, a nationally recognized award-winning energy services organization, partnered with POAH to fund some of Brewster Woods' sustainability attributes.