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Boston: Mayor Michelle Wu Celebrates The Historic Transformation of the Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony

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Mayor Michelle Wu and Congressman Stephen Lynch joined the Boston Housing Authority, Beacon Communities, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, MassHousing, labor partners, and residents to celebrate the final ribbon-cutting for The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony. The ceremony marked the successful completion of a historic transformation of one of Boston's oldest and largest public housing developments into a modern, connected, and deeply affordable neighborhood.

"For generations, Old Colony has been a cornerstone of the South Boston community, home to families who have helped shape the history of our city," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "This transformation honors their stories while creating a place where longtime and new residents can thrive, with access to modern, affordable homes, vibrant community spaces, and opportunity for generations to come. We're thrilled to celebrate this milestone, and thank the residents, partners, and workers whose dedication made this transformation possible."

Built in 1940, Old Colony was built to provide low-income housing for families in South Boston, and served as workforce housing for defense workers, and as a destination for returning World War II veterans. In 2010 the City of Boston and residents began working on a strategic master plan to fully redevelop the aging Old Colony community into a modern housing community.

"This has been a labor of love. My Mom and Pop raised my five sisters and me in this Housing Development dedicated to serving many hard-working, blue-collar families. At the time, it was one of the earliest large-scale public housing developments in the country, and my Mom was one of the early advocates for establishing a public lending library for 'families in the projects.' Years later, as a new attorney, I came back to represent many of these families pro bono in their fight to remove asbestos and lead paint from their apartments," said Congressman Stephen F. Lynch. "And now, with a $500 million investment of federal resources, I am honored to join Mayor Michelle Wu and my colleagues in government for the final ribbon-cutting for the Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony. My mother, Anne Lynch, loved this community and would be so proud to see the transformation after the old structures were demolished and rebuilt, and services were added to make it safer and more livable for children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities. The Anne Lynch homes now include 887 affordable apartments, home to 1,400 residents, built by 100 percent union labor. In Congress, I will continue to bring additional resources and advocate for federal action to increase funding for workforce and below-market housing. Safe and affordable housing is a core element of the American dream. I will continue to work with my colleagues to make it a reality."

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The redevelopment replaced all 840 public housing units with modern affordable housing and added an additional 47 units, for a total of 887 units across six phases. The sixth and final phase at Old Colony is an 89 unit building for families and seniors built to passive house standards with electric heating, cooling, and hot water.

"The Boston Housing Authority is so happy to celebrate the culmination of almost two decades of planning and construction to transform The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony," said Kenzie Bok, Boston Housing Authority Administrator. "At the Boston Housing Authority, we know that investing in the redevelopment of public housing is an investment in people. And changes like redesigned streets and walkways mean the children that grow up here will be more connected to all of the opportunities Boston offers. I'm so grateful to the Old Colony residents that worked alongside the Boston Housing Authority, Beacon Communities, our labor partners, and all levels of government for more than 15 years to make sure improvements would not only benefit them, but generations to come."

Private, federal, state, and city investment were all critical to the transformation of Old Colony, including an early American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant, a $22 million HOPE VI grant awarded in 2011, and a $25 million investment from the City of Boston that enabled later phases of the redevelopment to continue.

"The redevelopment of Old Colony is a historic and transformative project for South Boston and the hundreds of residents who call the community home," said Juana Matias, Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities. "The Healey-Driscoll Administration has prioritized and invested in the modernization of state public housing, and we commend the City of Boston and the Boston Housing Authority for transforming one of the oldest public housing developments in the country into new, modern homes."

"MassHousing is thrilled for the residents of Old Colony who have modern, energy efficient apartment homes as a result of this two-decade redevelopment effort by Beacon Communities and the Boston Housing Authority," said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay. "The Agency is proud to have played a role in every phase of this historic project that has resulted in long-term housing affordability and stability for everyone who calls Old Colony home."

Throughout the process the Old Colony neighborhood has been transformed and new streets and pedestrian walkways have connected the community to the surrounding South Boston neighborhood.

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"The completion of the Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony marks the culmination of a 17-year journey to reconnect this historic community with the fabric of South Boston and positively transform the homes of 887 households. The completed development, including the Tierney Learning Center, will make an enduring contribution to the lives of children, adults, and seniors for generations to come," said Dara Kovel, CEO, Beacon Communities. "Thank you to the residents, our public and private partners, the City of Boston, and the Boston Housing Authority for trusting Beacon to help bring the BHA's Master Plan vision for Old Colony to life. Through aligned commitment and passion, Old Colony serves as a national model for how public-private partnerships can create and preserve affordable housing that strengthens neighborhoods. Old Colony's redevelopment is a defining piece of Beacon's legacy that has touched so many members of our team. We are honored to celebrate this incredible milestone with our dedicated partners and to continue our work support this community well into its bright future."

The original project labor agreement for the Old Colony redevelopment included the creation of Building Pathways. Building Pathways is a non-profit organization based in Boston that is dedicated to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of under-represented groups in the union building trades, particularly women, people of color, and young adults. The entire redevelopment was built under a project labor agreement with the Greater Boston Building Trades Unions and was constructed using 100% union labor.

Throughout the redevelopment, community programming and opportunities for residents have complimented the investment in the physical infrastructure. Notably, the Tierney Learning Center is a state-of-the-art community space that offers programming and supportive services.

About the Boston Housing Authority

Boston Housing Authority provides quality affordable housing for low-income families and individuals through the public housing and Section 8 rental assistance programs. We foster vital communities that are essential to our city's economic diversity and way of life. As the largest housing provider in Boston, we bring stability, opportunity, and peace of mind not only to the thousands of low-income families we support, but to the city as a whole.

About Beacon Communities LLC

Beacon Communities LLC is a privately owned real estate firm that develops, acquires, invests in, and manages a wide range of multifamily housing, including affordable, market-rate, and mixed-income housing. Their developments range from new construction to historic adaptive reuse to the renovation of existing housing. Beacon Communities is committed to creating well-designed, healthy homes that improve quality of life for residents and strengthen neighborhoods.

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