Inclusionary Housing Program

Alert (10/11/2018): 15 Income-Restricted Homeownership Condos at Alloy at Assembly Row

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Street Realty Inc. are pleased to announce 15 income-restricted homeownership units located at Alloy, Assembly Row 275 Foley Street, Somerville. Units will be ready for occupancy upon purchase. 

If you are a Somerville resident seeking language assistance in Spanish, Portuguese or Haitian Creole for the Alloy Information and Pre-Lottery Application Packet, please contactSomerViva. BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.

If you live outside of Somerville and seeking language assistance in Spanish, Portuguese or Haitian Creole for the Alloy Information and Pre-Lottery Application, please contact SEB at [email protected] or at 617-782-6900.

Si w se yon rezidan Somerville, epi ou bezwen tradiksyon an kreyòl Ayisyen pou aplikasyon sa a tanpri rele 617-625-6600 EXT.2622. Si w bezwen aksede sevis sa a tanpri rele pou yon randevou.

Si w abite an deyò Somerville epi ou bezwen tradiksyon an panyòl,pòtigè, oubyen kreyòl ayisyen pou enfomasyon sou applikasyon Alloy la oubyen lotri a tanpri kontakte SEB nan[email protected] oubyen nan 617-782-6900.

Si ud. es residente de Somerville buscando asistencia lingüística para el Paquete de Información y Solicitud para Alloy, contacte al: 617-625-6600 EXT. 2122. SOLO CON CITA PREVIA.Si ud. viva afuera de Somerville y buscando asistencia lingüística para el Paquete de Información y Solicitud para Alloy, contacte SEB a: [email protected] o 617-782-6900. 

Se você é residente em Somerville e precisa de assistência em Português para informações sobre o Edifício Alloy e o pacote de informações da pré-loteria, por favor ligue para 617-625-6600 extensão 2123. ATENDIMENTO SOMENTE COM HORA MARCADA.

Se você reside fora de Somerville e e precisa de assistência em Português para informações sobre o Edifício Alloy e o pacote de informações da pré-loteria, por favor entre em contato com a SEB pelo email [email protected] ou telephone 617-782-6900.

Information and Application Packets

• English
• Español
• Português
• Kreyòl Ayisyen

Information Sessions

Alert (8/23/2018): 4 Income-Restricted Homeownership Condos at 353 Summer St.

Mayor Curtatone and 351 Summer LLC are pleased to announce four (4) income-restricted homeownership condos located at 353 Summer Street. The units will be offered to income-eligible, first-time homebuyers through the Inclusionary Housing Program via an application and lottery process. Income eligibility requirements and details regarding the units are listed below:

Unit Descriptions and Price

No. of Units	Unit Type	Sales Prices*	Monthly Condo Fee**	No. of Bathrooms	Approx. Size (Sq. Ft.)	Minimum Household Size
80% Area Median Income (AMI) Units
1	2BR (202)	$178,683	$107	1	956	2
1	2BR (307)	$178,683	$107	2	1033	2
110% AMI Units
1	1BR (105)	$216,216	$129	1	663	1
1	2BR (204)	$247,205	$148	2	1055	2

*There are four (4) deeded parking spaces in the garage

**Condo fees are set by the Condo Association going forward and are subject to changes

Income Eligibility Requirements

MAXIMUM Gross Annual Income Limits
Household Size	80% AMI Units	81-110% AMI Units
1	$56,800	$56,801 – $83,006
2	$64,900	$64,901 – $94,864
3	$73,000	$73,001 – $106,800
4	$81,100	$81,001- $118,580
5	$87,600	$87,601- $128,066

Head of households cannot be full-time students; units subject to Affordable Housing Restriction in perpetuity

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be first time-homebuyer and income eligible household
• Unit must be buyer’s primary and principal residence, units cannot be rented
• Units are subject to Affordable Housing Restriction in perpetuity
• Restrictions regarding equity and resale of the units apply
• Applicants must have a first --time homebuyers certificate or be enrolled in a course that is scheduled to end by December 2018
• Heads of households who are full-time student status are not eligible
• Asset limit of $250,000

Minimum Household Size

Applicants must be in a household with 1 or more people, as determined by the number of bedrooms in the unit to be eligible to apply for a 1 or 2-bedroom unit. One person households may not apply to purchase two-bedroom units unless they are eligible for a reasonable accommodation.

Applications were made available Tuesday August 28^th, 2018 at 11:00AM upon the conclusion of the first information session (see details below). They are available at City Hall, the City Hall Annex, all three branches of the Somerville Public Library, online, and by email. For more information, please see the below flyers in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole.

Application and Info Packet (PDF)

Flyers

• English
• Español
• Português
• Kreyòl Ayisyen

Application Timeline

1. First Information Session for 353 Summer Street: 10:00AM-11:00AM on Tuesday August 28^th, 2018 at the VNA located at 259 Lowell Street, Somerville. 
2. Applications Available for 353 Summer Street: 11:00AM on Tuesday August 28^th, 2018.
3. Second Information Session for 353 Summer Street: 6:30PM-7:30PM on Thursday September 27^th, 2018 at the Cross Street Senior Center located at 165 Broadway, Somerville.
4. Application Deadline for 353 Summer Street: 10:30AM on Friday October 26^th, 2018. Applications must be submitted to the City Hall Annex at 50 Evergreen Ave., Somerville, MA 02145. Only completed applications will be included in the lottery.
5. Lottery for 353 Summer Street: 6:30PM on Thursday November 15^th, 2018 at the Cross Street Senior Center located at 165 Broadway, Somerville.

If you have any other questions please contact Andres Bueno, Program Specialist at 617-625-6600 ext.2584 or [email protected].

---

 

About the Program

Our Inclusionary Affordable Homeownership Program provides opportunities for first-time homebuyers based on income. Sign up here to get alerts whenever affordable housing units become available. To be eligible for the program, you must:

• Be a first-time homebuyer
• Intend to use the unit as your primary residence
• Be a “ready buyer” and get a mortgage pre-approval
• Agree to follow any Deed Restrictions on the unit
• Have a certificate from an MHC Homebuyer Class by the closing date. If you haven’t taken the class yet, you can see a list of upcoming classes here.

Deed Restrictions

Affordable housing units have some important resale/equity restrictions. A few of them are listed below. We’ll give the winner a full copy of the restrictions during the Purchase and Sale process. You can also request a copy by calling us at (617) 625-2577 x2577.

• The unit may have a Deed Restriction that limits equity and has some rules for reselling the home. We’ll need to reassess the home’s value if you decide to sell it in the future.
• You’ll need to keep the home as your primary residence, but you have the option to sell it at any time. We perform residency certifications once a year.
• Once we’ve certified that you are income-eligible, we won’t need to perform any additional income verifications.

Lottery Drawing and Process

We use a lottery to choose the winner, who will then be able to buy the home from its current owner. Here’s how it works:

• We’ll draw each name and assign it an appropriate number.
• The first name we draw is the winner and will have one week to certify their income with the Housing Division.
• Once certified, the winner will enter the Purchase and Sale Agreement with the current homeowner.
• The owner and buyer will agree on a closing date that’s convenient for both parties.
   

Affordable Housing
Alerts: Sign Up Now

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Lacourt Enterprises, LLC. are pleased to announce two (2) affordable rental units located at the Chadwick in Davis The Chadwick is a 28 unit, four-story brick building with an elevator located at 131 Orchard Street. Two (2) units, including a one-bedroom and a two-bedroom, will be offered to income-qualified households at an affordable rent via an application and lottery process through the City of Somerville’s Inclusionary Housing Program.

 

1BR	Unit 31 for households with incomes 51% - 80% AMI
How many persons are in your household?	Is your household’s gross annual income between the ranges below?*	Monthly Rent: $1,031**
1	$37,751 - $56,800
2	$43,151 - $64,900
3	$48,551 - $73,000

2 BR	Unit B1 for households with incomes at or below 50% AMI
How many persons are in your household?	Is your household’s gross annual income between the ranges below?*	Monthly Rent: $1,202**
2	$20,280 - $43,150
3	$20,280 - $48,550
4	$20,280 - $53,900

*Minimum incomes are not applicable to Section 8 or other voucher holders

**Rents do not include the cost of electricity, heat is electric

Flyers

• English
• Español
• Português
• Kreyòl Ayisyen

Application Timeline

1. Open Application Begins: After the conclusion of the 1^st Info. Session.
2. 1^st Info. Session: 6:30PM, Thursday, October 4, 2018 @ East Somerville Community School (ESCS) Auditorium located at 50 Cross Street in Somerville
3. 2^nd Info. Session: 10:30AM, Wednesday, November 7, 2018 @ Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) 4^th Floor located at 405 Alewife Brook Pkwy. in Somerville (please park at Dilboy Field)
4. Application Deadline: 2:30PM, Monday, December 3, 2018 at 50 Evergreen Ave. in Somerville
5. Lottery Date: 10:30AM, Monday, December 17, 2018 @ Aldermanic Chambers City Hall located at 93 Highland Ave. Somerville

Application Packet (PDF)

If you have any other questions please contact Andres Bueno, Program Specialist at 617-625-6600 ext.2584 or [email protected].

Affordable Housing
Alerts: Sign Up Now

First-Time Homebuyer Education

There are several programs to help you learn about the home buying process. They’ll teach you how to deal with credit issues, work with a Realtor, apply for a mortgage, and more. The organizations below offer these First-Time Homebuyer classes:

• Somerville Community Corporation First-Time Homebuyer Seminar
• CHAPA Homeownership Education Workshop
• MAHA Homeownership University

Closing Cost and Down Payment Assistance

The Housing Division and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund offer three programs to help first-time homebuyers in the City. Each program has different rules and benefits. You must be a first-time homebuyer with an eligible income to qualify. We give preference to current residents, though anyone is welcome to apply. The three programs are:

• Closing Cost 80 Program: We’ll provide closing cost assistance up to $5,000 as a 0% interest, five-year forgivable loan. 
• Down Payment Assistance 80 Program: We’ll provide down payment assistance up to 15% of the purchase price as a 0% interest, deferred payment loan.
• Closing Cost/Down Payment Assistance 110 Program: We’ll provide up to $5,000 in down payment assistance or closing costs as a 0% interest, five-year forgivable loan.

To learn more about eligibility and income limits, click here.

First-Time Homebuyer Education

There are several programs to help you learn about the home buying process. They’ll teach you how to deal with credit issues, work with a Realtor, apply for a mortgage, and more. The organizations below offer these First-Time Homebuyer classes:

• Somerville Community Corporation First-Time Homebuyer Seminar
• CHAPA Homeownership Education Workshop
• MAHA Homeownership University

Homeownership Guide

We’ve organized a list of resources for new and current homeowners. The guide includes information about loans for remodeling your house, improving energy efficiency, removing lead, and other resources. You’ll also find important information about zoning laws and permits. Click here to read the guide and learn more about your next steps as a new homeowner!

Tenant Rent Stabilization Program

We work with the Somerville Homeless Coalition to help residents who are at risk of becoming homeless due to unpaid rent or utilities. We can also help with moving costs, security deposits, and other start-up costs. Our goal is to keep Somerville families stable by helping them stay in their current homes or find attainable housing. To apply, call the Somerville Homeless Coalition at (617) 623-6111.

Section 8 Rentals

Section 8 is a federal program that helps very low-income families find clean and safe private apartment rentals. The assistance is given on behalf of the individual so that participants can rent privately-owned housing. This can include single-family housing, apartments, townhouses, and condos. The Somerville Housing Authority administers the Section 8 program. You can learn more here.

Housing for People With Disabilities

Under federal law, housing providers must not discriminate against people with disabilities. They must also make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. These laws apply regardless of whether the housing is public or private. For more information, contact us at (617) 625-6600 x2577.

Utility Assistance and Energy Efficiency

Also known as Fuel Assistance, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a state-run program to help families pay for winter heating bills. Eligible households may qualify to have a portion of their heating bills paid by the state. They’ll also receive a discounted rate on their utility bills. To see if you’re eligible, contact the City of Cambridge Department of Human Services at (617) 349-6252.

Weatherization Assistance Program

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) offers insulation and repairs to help families stay warm and conserve fuel in the winter. If you qualify for fuel assistance, you’ll also qualify for the WAP. For more information, call (978) 459-6161.

Resource Guide for Homeless People and Very Low-Income Families

This guide is an extensive list of resources for homeless people and those who are at risk for becoming homeless. You’ll find contact information for local shelters, transitional housing, food services, emergency funding, and more. You can read the guide here. 

Affordable Housing
Alerts: Sign Up Now