Dorchester, MA According to Affordable Housing and Services Collaborative, Inc. (AHSC), a nonprofit organization that owns and develops affordable rental communities, construction has begun on a 91-unit affordable family housing project on Columbia Ave.

The preservation/rehabilitation project, known as Columbia-Uphams, consists of two separate buildings, Columbia West Apartments and Uphams Corner Apartments. The buildings are being combined into a single project, which when completed will contain 91 rehabilitated affordable units, ranging in size from studios to three-bedroom units and will include units reserved for special populations.

AHSC first acquired the ownership interest of Uphams Corner Apartments, a 45-unit building, in 2018, followed in 2020 by ownership interest in the 46-unit Columbia West Apartments. Following the acquisitions, AHSC, along with longtime strategic partner Peabody Properties, submitted a financing plan to Mass Housing, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), and the city of Boston to consolidate both properties under one ownership entity controlled by AHSC. New financing was sought through the use of federal and state low-income housing tax credits and historic tax credit equity, as well as new construction/permanent and subordinate debt, with the EOHLC approving the funding application in 2023. AHSC closed on the property on September 27. 

With construction underway, the project is scheduled to be completed by June of 2025. Once constructed, Peabody Properties will manage the affordable family housing complex.

“We are beyond pleased to announce that construction on Columbia-Uphams has begun,” said Michael Mattos, President/Executive Director of Affordable Housing and Services Collaborative, Inc. “This development represents a significant step forward in our mission to provide safe affordable housing for families. This project will not only serve to address the critical housing shortage but will also foster a vibrant, inclusive community. We look forward to seeing the positive impact Columbia-Uphams will have on residents and the Dorchester community.”