
This scattered-site development consists of 224 units in 15 three
and four story buildings on sites throughout Roxbury and North
Dorchester, Massachusetts. The buildings were originally built in
the early 1900's and were renovated in 1975. Many of the buildings
overlook Boston's recently revitalized Franklin Park, a 72-acre park
originally designed as part of Boston's "Emerald
Necklace."
In early 1990, the properties were being foreclosed upon when The
Community Builders were asked to get involved. Rather than simply
becoming a replacement general partner, TCB proposed forming a new
partnership to acquire and rehabilitate the properties. Extensive
renovation was completed to correct all deficiencies and code
violations. This was especially challenging because there were 15
separate buildings, each with its own physical problems. However,
using two separate contractors for the interior and exterior of the
homes, TCB was able to complete the entire project in nine months.
Currently, the Franklin Park development is home to 224
households in two of Boston's most predominantly minority
neighborhoods. Over 2/3 of the units are reserved for low-income
families while the remaining units are strictly for moderate-income
families.