Commonwealth Land Trust Completes Renovations at 123 Crawford Street

Commonwealth Land Trust (CLT), a local nonprofit developer and manager of permanent supportive housing, was joined by government officials and residents to celebrate completed renovations at 123 Crawford Street in Dorchester that will house twenty-three of our State’s most vulnerable residents. Construction was funded with permanent mortgage loans, awarded and administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation.

CLT’s President & CEO, Iva Comey, marked the occasion by saying, “These new units and the renovations in our building are an investment in the neighborhood and a stabilizing resource for our residents. We will serve some of the most disadvantaged community members, and help address the connected crises of affordability, homelessness, and mental health needs.”

Bronia Clifton, Supportive Housing Manager for the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), contextualized the project within CLT’s history of work in Massachusetts. "Commonwealth Land Trust's Crawford Street renovation exemplifies the agency's long-standing commitment to and expertise in creating permanent supportive housing for vulnerable individuals. DHCD congratulates the staff and the development team on the successful completion of the construction and looks forward to collaborating with CLT on future projects of this kind."

The 123 Crawford Street project renovated a Single Room Occupancy (SRO) building in Roxbury, providing housing to low- and very low-income individuals who benefit most from onsite case management support and a live-in staff person. This combined model helps residents with histories of homelessness, mental health challenges, physical disabilities, HIV/AIDS, substance addiction, and other barriers to traditional housing.  Renovations on the buildings and units included construction of five new units, masonry repairs of building facades, roof and window replacement, accessibility upgrades, kitchen and bathroom upgrades, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing system upgrades.

Jessica Boatright, Deputy Director for the Neighborhood Housing Development Division at the Mayor’s Office of Housing, spoke at the ribbon cutting for Crawford Street and reiterated the importance of affordable housing throughout Boston. “The City applauds CLT’s commitment to providing safe, supportive homes for Bostonians.  CLT is a critical partner in Mayor Michelle Wu’s efforts to end homelessness through housing.  Our partnership in keeping these units affordable and leveraging an existing asset to create even more affordable homes is a huge win for our city.  I look forward to continuing to work with CLT and others who share their important mission to house our most vulnerable by protecting Boston’s affordability.”

“The obstacles to obtaining stable, decent housing can be insurmountable for some of our most vulnerable populations in Massachusetts,” said Roger Herzog, Executive Director of the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC). “The availability of Single Room Occupancy units with supportive services is critical to addressing this need, and the renovation of 123 Crawford Street by the Commonwealth Land Trust dramatically improves the living environment for residents who have experienced mental health crises, homelessness, addiction and other challenges.”

The renovation was made possible in part by a $1 million Housing Trust Fund (HTF) permanent mortgage loan and $150,275 from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Housing Innovations Fund (HIF) loan, administered jointly with the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC). The City of Boston, through the Mayor's Office of Housing, previously provided a $164,528 loan to CLT for this property.

About Commonwealth Land Trust

Commonwealth Land Trust owns and manages over 400 affordable, supportive housing units. Its robust model – combining supportive services and property management under one roof – keeps residents off the streets and saves lives. The residents of 123 Crawford Street have rental subsidies through the Boston Housing Authority, Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program subsidies, and there is one Massachusetts Department of Public Health low-barrier housing unit. CLT will provide onsite case management support at the property.

About the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH)

The Mayor’s Office of Housing is responsible for housing people experiencing homelessness, creating and preserving affordable housing, and ensuring that renters and homeowners can obtain, maintain, and remain in safe, stable housing. The department develops and implements the City of Boston’s housing creation and homelessness prevention plans and collaborates with local and national partners to find new solutions and build more housing affordable to all, particularly those with lower incomes. For more information, please visit the MOH website.