Press Release: 8/22/2025

$40 Million in Funding to Expand and Preserve Affordable Housing in Boston

 



Funding will support the creation and preservation of rental, cooperative, and supportive housing development across Boston neighborhoods.



Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the release of the City of Boston’s annual Request for Proposals (RFP) for affordable housing, providing $40 million to support the creation and preservation of affordable housing across the city. This year’s funding—offered through the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) through its annual operating appropriation and recurring external resources, the Community Preservation Act Fund (CPA), and the Neighborhood Housing Trust (NHT)—is available to non-profit and for-profit developers for rental, cooperative, and supportive housing projects.  Four million dollars of this funding will be made available to create and preserve supportive housing developments for unsheltered and/or aging populations. This announcement builds on the Mayor’s work to make Boston a home for everyone. 



“With housing costs continuing to rise, our focus is on ensuring that every Boston resident has access to stable, affordable homes,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This $40 million investment will enable us to support a diverse range of housing projects, from preserving at-risk developments to building new units for those most in need, while also ensuring that Boston remains a city where families of all backgrounds can thrive.”



The Mayor’s Office of Housing, the Community Preservation Committee, and the Neighborhood Housing Trust will prioritize proposals that:




  • Utilize City-owned land.

  • Provide a mix of units from extremely low-income to middle-income households.

  • Include housing for older residents, veterans, individuals with disabilities, youth aging out of foster care, and artists.

  • Build or preserve affordable housing in neighborhoods with limited affordability.

  • Reduce development costs and efficiently leverage public and private funding.



“We are committed to ensuring Boston is a place where everyone—regardless of income—can have a home,” said Sheila Dillon, Chief of Housing. “This funding round supports a variety of housing options, from cooperative developments to supportive housing for our seniors and those in need of services. Helping Bostonians become and remain stably housed creates stronger neighborhoods and a stronger city for all of us.” 



"From Eastie to Mattapan, residents tell us housing issues are their number one concern,” said City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune. “This $40 million dollar commitment to expand and preserve affordability is exactly the kind of action we need to meet this moment, whereby we are keeping our families and neighbors in Boston."



"I am excited to see the potential homes for our city’s most vulnerable residents from these proposals,” said City Councilor Enrique Pepén. “This $40 million allocation shows our true commitment to building more housing opportunities for Boston’s long standing and new families."



This announcement also builds on the City’s ongoing efforts to create more affordable housing across neighborhoods and ensure residents are able to afford to live in Boston. In the first three-plus years of Mayor Wu’s administration, the city set a record for more affordable housing created than any comparable period during the last two decades: More than 5,600 income-restricted units have been completed or started constructed, almost a third of nearly 18,000 total housing units.



To advance affordable housing development, Mayor Wu issued an executive order to accelerate approval and permitting of these projects, cutting review time by more than 25 percent. In addition, Mayor Wu has provided unprecedented financial resources from the City to build new mixed-income affordable housing, commissioned a public land audit to maximize use of City-owned land for this purpose, incentivized a pipeline for Office to Residential housing in Boston’s downtown core, all while making a concerted effort to focus on working with new development teams, creating opportunities for women and minority-owned businesses (MWBEs) to succeed. New housing developments, including innovative buildings combining housing with public assets like libraries are moving forward in Chinatown, Charlestown, Mattapan, Roxbury, East Boston, and Brighton. Additionally, the City has implemented changes to policies such as Linkage and Inclusionary Zoning that are increasing affordable housing through private market activity.



“Affordable housing is more than just providing shelter—it’s the foundation for strong, vibrant communities,” said Thadine Brown, Director of the Community Preservation Office. “Through these funds, we can continue to bridge gaps, prevent displacement, and create pathways to opportunity for Boston residents.”



“Over the years, the City’s support has been critical in helping community organizations like ours leverage additional public and private funding to bring affordable housing projects to life,” said Sal Colombo, President and Executive Director of the East Boston Community Development Corporation. “With this year’s $40 million funding round, Boston is continuing to lead the way in addressing our most pressing housing challenges.”



The City is also calling on developers to integrate universal design principles for accessibility and to build highly energy efficient and fossil fuel free buildings in alignment with Boston’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.



IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES




  • Letter of Intent Due: Friday, August 22, 2025, by 4 p.m.

  • Full Proposal Due: Friday, September 19, 2025, by 4 p.m.



Developers interested in applying should register for the Applicants Conference, submit a Letter of Intent by the deadline, and review the full RFP package available at boston.gov/housing/requests-proposals.



ABOUT THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF HOUSING (MOH)



The Mayor’s Office of Housing works to prevent homelessness, create and preserve affordable housing, and ensure residents have safe, stable housing options. MOH collaborates with local and national partners to develop housing solutions that prioritize low-income families and vulnerable residents. Learn more at boston.gov/housing.



ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT (CPA)



Adopted by Boston voters in 2016, the CPA funds affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space projects through a property tax surcharge. All projects must be recommended by the Community Preservation Committee and approved by the City. For details, visit boston.gov/community-preservation.



ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING TRUST (NHT)



The NHT is funded through linkage fees from large commercial developments and supports homeownership, rental, cooperative, and supportive housing for low-income households. The fund prioritizes projects near public transit and those serving families with two or more bedrooms.