Officials tour the oldest public housing buildings left standing in the U.S. and celebrate plans for redevelopment

BOSTON - On May 10, 2024, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus joined Boston Housing Authority Executive Director Kenzie Bok, Beacon Communities and Winn Companies to tour two South Boston public housing properties that showcase the before-and-after impact of public housing rehabilitation.

Public housing developments at Mary Ellen McCormack and Old Colony were built during the Great Depression with no amenities, no handicapped accessibility and inadequate infrastructure. The Old Colony housing development was recently redeveloped thanks to both state and federal investments and shows what the future of public housing in Massachusetts could look like with continued investment.  

“Massachusetts is proud to have the largest state-managed public housing system in the country, with more than 43,000 homes, in addition to federally funded developments. But it’s essential that we maintain and rehabilitate this housing to make sure that residents have a safe, affordable place to live,” said Governor Maura Healey. “That’s why our Affordable Homes Act proposes $1.6 billion to rehabilitate and repair public housing all across Massachusetts, including accessibility upgrades and decarbonization efforts.”  

“Our public housing is a vital piece of our housing portfolio in Massachusetts, but it has been underfunded for decades,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “We can do better, and we owe it to our residents to do better. Investments such as these help transform public housing into vibrant, livable communities folks can take pride in. We are so excited for the existing and future residents of South Boston.”  

The Old Colony redevelopment project, mostly complete, replaces 840 legacy public housing units with 887 modernized affordable housing units and the Tierney Community Center. The sixth and final phase of Old Colony, breaking ground later this month, will build 89 new affordable units, including 25 units that will replace state-aided units managed by the Boston Housing Authority. Residents also have access to a beautiful waterfront park and beach.  

The Mary Ellen McCormack project will create a total of 3,300 new climate-resilient units and will replace all 1,016 public housing units with a guaranteed right to return for current residents. When complete, it will also feature workforce housing, market-rate housing, a community building and public square as well as retail space. The first phase will replace 572 public housing units while building 1,365 total units of housing. 

“We are so fortunate to have Governor Healey and our state partners — along with Mayor Wu, our residents, and a constellation of other supporters — who believe in the importance of public housing and the people we serve,” said BHA Administrator Kenzie Bok. “With the resources in the Affordable Homes Act, including the transfer fee, we will be able to upgrade our current public housing and create more new public housing apartments to meet the needs of local families and seniors.” 

“I appreciate all that’s been done to better this community and can’t wait to see Mary Ellen McCormack redeveloped,” said Old Colony Task Force President Phyllis Corbitt.  “It makes a big difference in the way you live.” 

Both developments were part of the federally funded public housing system run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Healey-Driscoll Administration manages the state’s public housing through the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. Massachusetts has the largest state-managed public housing system in the country, with more than 43,000 units of housing in its portfolio. For decades, it has been underfunded. The Healey-Driscoll Administration has prioritized the rehabilitation of public housing throughout the state. Governor Maura Healey’s $4 billion Affordable Homes Act authorizes $1.6 billion for the rehabilitation, repair and modernization of the state’s public housing. That includes $1.335 million for public housing capital improvements, $150 million dedicated to the decarbonization of public housing, $100 million for public housing redevelopment projects and $15 million for accessibility upgrades for persons with disabilities. 

“In the past year I’ve traveled across the commonwealth in a commitment to visit every public housing authority in the state,” said Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. “I’ve seen first-hand what years of underfunding has done. But I’ve also seen the transformative power that building better public housing with mixed-income components can have on the people who live there. These projects show that when we work together, we can build stronger communities.”  

The Affordable Homes Act also includes important public housing policy reforms to support local housing authorities and ensure tenant’s rights are protected. For example, the bill will make it much easier for public housing authorities to regionalize with board and EOHLC approval. This will give our housing authorities the flexibility to combine skills and resources while eliminating duplicative budgets, meetings, and oversight requirements, allowing them to focus on providing better services throughout the region.  

The event today was part of the administration’s statewide Housing Campaign to call attention to the urgent need to lower housing costs throughout Massachusetts and the ways in which the high cost of housing impacts businesses. Events earlier this week focused on identifying housing solutions with the business industry, ending veteran homelessness, the impact of housing on health care and the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s partnership with cities and towns to find solutions. 

The administration will continue the Housing Campaign next week. On Thursday, May 16, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Secretary Augustus will visit a community development organization in Chesterfield to highlight the important role that partnership with neighborhood organizations plays in addressing our housing challenges. 

On Friday, May 17, Secretary Augustus and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng will visit Attleboro to highlight the importance of transit-oriented housing, which can increase housing affordability, reduce commuting costs, expand accessibility, and foster sustainable development. The MBTA recently executed an MOU with Attleboro for a transit-oriented development (TOD) project with up to 600 housing units. The MBTA also recently announced that service will be partially restored to the nearby South Attleboro train station on May 20. 

Who: Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, Chesterfield Town Administrator Brenda Lessard, and local elected officials 

What: Housing and Community Development event 

When: Thursday, May 16, 2024, at 9:00 am 

Where: Hilltown Community Development Corporation, 387 Main Rd, Chesterfield, MA 01012 

Press: Open 

Who: Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, MBTA General Manager Phil Eng, Attleboro Mayor Cathleen DeSimone, and local officials 

What: Housing and Transportation event 

When: Friday, May 17, 2024, at 1:30 pm 

Where: Attleboro Station, 133 South Main St, Attleboro, MA 02703 

Press: Open