Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact and Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds - Hollins Park: August 7, 2026

These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS

On or about August 26, 2026, the City of Boston Mayor's Office of Housing (MOH) will  submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the release of federal HOME Program Funds available through the HOME Investment Partnerships Act, under Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. 12701 et. Seq. as amended, to undertake a project known as Hollins Park (the ‘Project’), located at 191 Bowdoin Street in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston.  The Project involves the demolition of an existing house and garage on the site and the new construction of 33 units of affordable housing in a four-story building.  The Project is a 100% affordable housing community for families, which will contain eleven (11) one-bedroom units, eighteen (18) two-bedroom units, and four (4) three-bedroom units.  The project will include four (4) handicapped accessible units and will be fully accessible to residents with elevator access to all floors, including the lobby, management office, community room, roof deck, bike room, and residential units.  There will be thirty-six (36) bike storage spots accessible to residents in the interior of the building as well as eight (8) exterior surface level vehicle parking spaces and eight (8) exterior bike parking spaces along the sidewalk on Bowdoin Street.  The project will provide family housing to households with a range of incomes at or below 60% area median income (AMI).  The site is 18,627 square feet and the new building will be 35,934 gross square feet.  The project developer is Viet Aid and the total project cost is approximately $24,064,400, with an estimated $1.5 million in federal HOME funds from the City of Boston. 

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

The City of Boston has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment.  Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required.  Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) and can be made available for review electronically by submitting a request via email to the City of Boston at erresponses@boston.gov.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the Environmental Review Record to the MOH Compliance Unit at erresponses@boston.gov.  All comments received by August 25, 2026 will be considered by the City of Boston prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds.  Comments should specify which notice they are addressing.

RELEASE OF FUNDS

The City of Boston certifies to HUD that Michelle Wu, as Mayor, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied and HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities, and allows the project  to use HUD program funds for the purpose specified.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Boston certification for a period of eighteen (18) days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later), only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer the City of Boston; (b) the City of Boston has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the project have committed funds or incurred costs not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality.  Objections must be prepared and submitted via email in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to Office of CPD - HUD at  cpdrrofbos@hud.gov.  Potential objectors should contact the HUD office via email to verify the actual last day of the objection period.