Press Release: 4/1/2025

AG's Office Relaunches Expanded Funding Program To Revitalize Distressed Neighborhoods And Expand Affordable Housing

 

AGO Will Award Up To $2 Million To Fund Administrators Overseeing Housing Rehabilitation Projects; Increase Award Amount for Receivers 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

3/31/2025

MEDIA CONTACT 

Sydney Heiberger, Press Secretary

 Phone

Call Sydney Heiberger, Press Secretary at (617) 727-2543

 Online

Email Sydney Heiberger, Press Secretary at Sydney.Heiberger@mass.gov

BOSTON — The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is relaunching its Receivership Expense Assistance for Creating Housing (REACH) program to help facilitate the conversion of blighted residential properties into affordable housing units in communities across the Commonwealth.

The REACH program, previously known as the Abandoned Housing Initiative Receivership Fund (AHIR), will award up to $2 million to 1-2 organizations that will serve as fund administrators. The chosen administrators will make loans to receivers across the state, overseeing rehabilitation projects that will help revitalize communities, return tax dollars to cities and towns, and increase the number of available housing units with the potential to create affordable homeownership opportunities.

Previously, under AHIR, receivers could borrow up to $100,000 per affordable housing project, or $75,000 for market rate housing. REACH will now allow receivers to borrow up to $250,000 per project. Additionally, the REACH program will forgive up to 10% of loans on market rate housing projects and 15% of loans on affordable housing projects in which the cost of rehabilitation exceeds the sale price of the home.

“The REACH program is an important tool in addressing our affordable housing crisis, offering critical funding that brings abandoned and blighted properties back into use,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “I am proud to announce the expansion of this program, which now will award even more money to expand housing opportunities and make our neighborhoods safer, more beautiful places to live.”

Since 2013, the program has loaned more than $9 million to property rehabilitation efforts, resulting in repairs at 109 blighted properties and 214 housing units put back into use.

The REACH program is administered by the AGO’s Neighborhood Renewal Division (NRD), which was created from the Attorney General’s Abandoned Housing Initiative and uses the enforcement authority of the State Sanitary Code to turn around abandoned residential properties. Working in close partnership with cities and towns, NRD seeks out delinquent property owners and encourages them to voluntarily repair their properties. If owners refuse, the office’s attorneys will petition the Court to appoint a receiver to bring the property up to code.

Under AG Campbell’s administration, NRD has assisted communities in recovering approximately $1.14 million in previously unpaid property taxes and municipal fees. Additionally, NRD has completed the receivership and revitalization process on 31 properties across the Commonwealth.

Applications for the REACH program are due by 5:00 pm on April 25, 2025. Additional information about the program and application details may be found on the AGO’s website.