 Now Entering Sudbury!
NOAH's regional/suburban work received another boost this summer with our designation by the Sudbury Housing Trust to build six affordable two-bedroom dwellings on a site owned by the Trust at 278 Maynard Road. We are currently submitting our site review approval letter to Mass Housing. We will continue to work in close partnership with the Town and its committees to assure a very high quality development for the owners and the municipality. We anticipate beginning the Comprehensive Permit process this fall and submitting a full 'One Stop' application to DHCD in the January round.
The Housing Trust, staffed by Beth Rust and Jody Kablack, has long been promoting affordable housing options in this historic Town. Last year they used Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds to purchase an old home. They tore down the existing structure and Town Meeting okayed the plan to build affordable ownership housing at this property. The Trust is an adjunct of the Town and it is permitted to use CPA funds to help underwrite the Town's affordable housing work. One of NOAH's Board members, Greg Comeau, is a Town resident who lives near the site. The deep subsidies provided by the Town's CPA/Housing Trust we hope will incent the State to support a limited number of ownership possibilities at this attractive venue in Sudbury.
We are happy to add the 01776 zip code to our address listings! Sudbury was awarded this special zip code - which is the year the Declaration of Independence was signed - because it sent more volunteer militia members to the historic revolutionary war battle in Concord than any other community.
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Governor and DHCD Fund Holliston Development
NOAH is extremely grateful to the Governor and DHCD for funding the shovel-ready Cutler Heights affordable housing development using TCAP funds. NOAH is partnering with JNJUHL Associates and the Holliston Housing Development Corp. to create a town-supported development located at the rear of the Holliston Town Hall off of Route 16. Cutler Heights will have 30 units available to families with incomes below 60% of median income; and there will be units available for residents with disabilities, as well. This project will positively impact the local economy, as it is expected to generate a significant number of construction jobs.
Cutler Heights was one of only 8 projects supported in the August TCAP round, so we are very grateful for this allocation of Federal funds. The most significant provision of the AARA act is the Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP). TCAP provides funds directly to state housing finance agencies (HFAs, in this case DHCD) to disperse to existing tax credit developments in need of additional gap funding. Projects awarded credits in 2007, 2008, and 2009 are eligible for the gap funding, but priority must be given to developments expected to be completed by February 2012.
We credit the Holliston Housing Partnership, the Community Preservation Committee, the Selectmen, the ZBA, the Town Manager, the Town Meeting members, Senator Karen Spilka, and our partners JNJUHL & Associates, and the Holliston Housing Development Corporation for their lengthy and consistent high quality work which produced funding for this superb 40b development. Construction is expected to begin this year, with occupancy by the summer of 2011.
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United Way Continues
Its Generous Support
NOAH would like to thank United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley for its much-needed ongoing support. United Way is in the third year of a generous three-year funding commitment to NOAH. We want to express our sincere gratitude to them for their extensive support of our various affordable housing lines of business. United Way has long been a vigorous supporter of housing and homelessness prevention programs. They are to be congratulated for their passion and leadership. Thank you!
NOAH will miss Liz Curtis as our organizational Relationship Manager. Liz always listened carefully, provided thoughtful analyses, and was kind in her relationships. We heartily welcome Donna Stiglmeier in her place. If you would like to find out more about United Way and its regional initiatives, you can visit their web site at http://supportunitedway.org/.
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 Citizens Bank Supports
NOAH's Affordable Housing
NOAH is very grateful to Citizens Bank for continuing its tradition of generously supporting NOAH's housing programming through a $30,000 grant. Their support will help NOAH create and maintain affordable housing through real estate development projects, first-time homebuyer courses and counseling, senior homeowner safety repairs, rental housing counseling, and foreclosure prevention and mitigation efforts. Thank you so much, Citizens Bank!
NOAH would like to welcome Citizens Bank's new Massachusetts President, Stephen Woods, who replaces Robert Smyth who served for seven years. Mr. Smyth was also an advocate for affordable housing, serving as co-chair of the Commonwealth Housing Task Force. Mr. Smyth recently pledged a Citizens contribution to NOAH's 'Secrets of Eastie' Event at the Harborside Hyatt. We also note the passing of a dear friend at the bank, Ms. Julie Connelly, a Senior Vice-President. Julie will be very fondly remembered as a soft-spoken, generous 'go-to' person at the bank. She had taken a strong interest in non-profits, and NOAH was blessed to have been a recipient of her kindness and attention over the past decade. We will all miss her and we send our condolences to her family and colleagues.
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 Youth Soccer & O'Donnell
Schoolyard Program
Celebrate Successful Seasons!
The O'Donnell Schoolyard Summer Program celebrated the end of the summer and the end of this season's program with a fun and entertaining combined Talent Show & Community Festival. During its seven weeks, 90 local elementary children received free breakfast and lunch and participated in recreational and environmental educational activities. NOAH's Youth Soccer Program is also winding down after a busy summer! Seventy girls and boys participated in the program, which serves both novice and experienced players.
We would like to say thank you to the City of Boston for its 'Boston Rocks!' grant, to the East Boston Foundation for its generous support, and to the many individual donors who also helped fund these programs. We would especially like to thank O'Donnell Schoolyard Fundraising Chair, Anthony Giacalone of Tony's Realty; and O'Donnell 'Hero Donor' Michael Lake, a NOAH Board member. Our gratitude also goes to O'Donnell School Principal Dr. Robert Martin, East Boston APAC and Chelsea Summer Youth Employment for our youth counselors, Good Sports for their very generous donation of sports equipment, and to the Boston Parks Department. Last, but certainly not least, we are grateful to NOAH's Manlio Mendez and to everyone else who helped make these programs a great success again this year, including all of the parent, community, and neighborhood volunteers.
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 Restoring the Environment
In East Boston
NOAH and and its collaborative partner in the Chelsea Creek Action Group (CCAG) are spearheading an effort to see the old Hess Oil tank farm site along the Chelsea River on Condor Street restored to a natural wetlands area. The property has not been used since before the tanks were removed as part of a remediation process. It is owned now by the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA). Many individuals and groups are helping with an effort to utilize monies obtained as restitution funds from the Exxon Mobil Company as a result of a nearby 2006 oil spill. Nature has already begun to take over the site, and marsh grasses, redwing blackbirds and other plants and animals have returned. Wetlands help clean our air and water, and provide a defense against flooding. We are holding an informational community meeting on September 29th at 7:00 PM at the Maverick Landing Community Center; everyone is welcome to attend!
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 NOAH Welcomes Aboard Two New VISTA's NOAH is happy to welcome two new VISTA's who will assist with our various foreclosure prevention and mitigation initiatives. Lisa Dyen (left) earned her law degree from Northeastern University's School of Law in Boston and her B.A. from Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Erin Ennis (right) received her B.A. in English from Wellesley College in 2008. Moving out west to become an Americorps VISTA last year, she worked with Montana Legal Services on issues pertaining to consumer law and financial literacy. We are glad to have them with us!
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Upcoming Fall Events
All events are held at NOAH at 143 Border Street in East Boston, unless indicated otherwise.
Bilingual Foreclosure Clinic
Monday evenings, September 21, and 28 and October 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at NOAH. This is the initial counseling and education session for NOAH's foreclosure prevention and mitigation counseling. Attendees should bring recent mortgage-related correspondence and paperwork. These sessions are held in Spanish and in English. All of NOAH's foreclosure avoidance education and counseling sessions are free of charge to distressed homeowners. For additional information, please contact Counselor Kathy Objio at 617-418-8262.
Hess Site/CCAG Community Meeting
Our Community Building and Environment's Wetlands Restoration Committee is organizing a community meeting on the evening of Tuesday, September 29, to around the wetlands conservation project at the old East Boston Hess Site. For more information, contact Melinda Alvarado-Vega at 617-567-5882.
First-Time Homebuyer Class - In English
This two-day class will meet on two Saturdays, October 3 and October 17 from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM. To receive a City of Boston certificate, attendees must attend both sessions. Attendees learn from industry guest speakers, including Home Inspectors, as well as from NOAH staff. For more information, please contact BHA Program Assistant Zaragoza Guerra at 617-418-8261.
Chelsea Creek Action Group (CCAG) Meeting
The next CCAG meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 13, at 6:30 PM at 80 Border Street, room 130. CCAG meetings are now held on the second Tuesday of each month. Newcomers are welcome. For more information, please call Director of Community Building & Organizing Brenda Cotto-Escalera at 617-418-8241.
Safe Deleading Training for Homeowners
In an effort to combat the rising rate of lead poisoning among children in East Boston, the Boston Public Health Commission is holding free training sessions at NOAH throughout the year. Some of the trainings will be geared for homeowners, and others will be geared towards contractors. The next of these will be held on Thursday, October 15 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For more information, please contact Linda Miller-Foster at 617-418-8246.
Know What's Up Concert
The next youth 'Know What's Up' concert is scheduled for Thursday, October 24. There will be a photo contest and two workshops associated with the event. The theme will concern environmental justice. For more information, please contact Diana Baldelomar at 617-418-8243.
Family Halloween Event
NOAH staff is coordinating a community-wide Halloween event this year. NOAH's own event will be held at the Urban Wild on Saturday, October 31. For more details, please contact Melinda Alvarado-Vega at 617-567-5882.
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
Thanks to funding from the English for New Bostonians initiative, we will be starting a new round of classes during the first week of October. Weeknight classes are held from 6:00 to 8:30 PM. Level I classes are held every Tuesday and Thursday evening. Level II classes are held each Wednesday and Friday. The ongoing English Conversation Group meets each Saturday morning from 10:00 AM to noon; newcomers are welcome. Please contact Community Organizer Manlio Mendez at 617-418-8242 for additional information.
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Thank you for your interest in NOAH! You can find out further information about NOAH events at our web site calendar at www.noahcdc.org.
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