Danvers Waterhouse Project Hailed As Gov. Healey Awards Housing Grants

DANVERS, MA — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Kim Driscoll were in Danvers on Thursday to celebrate the creation of affordable housing across the state and announce $227 million in federal and state tax credits and subsidies for housing initiatives.

One of the recipients of the grants is the Waterhouse Project in Danvers where 93 of the 116 units are classified as affordable, including 17 "deeply affordable" at below 30 percent of the area median income. The Waterhouse Project will serve the disability community with Thursday's event held at the New England Homes for the Deaf.

"Danvers has done more than most communities to stimulate affordable housing development that meets the needs of its residents, but whether these efforts are enough to make housing security a reality for all members of our community remains an open, and vexing, question," Danvers Town Manager Steve Bartha said.

The Healey Administration said the tax credits will help create or preserve 1,874 rental units across the state.

"These awards are one of the most effective tools our administration has to increase the development of housing that is affordable for people across the state," Healey said. "Along with our Affordable Homes Act, we're working to lower the cost of housing across Massachusetts to benefit our families, businesses and economy."

The investment includes $27.1 million in 4 percent federal tax credits, $12.1 million in 9 percent federal tax credits, $44.5 million in state tax credits and $143.4 million in state subsidy funds.

"These funds are an important step for spurring affordable housing development in our communities," Driscoll said. "We want a Massachusetts that's affordable, accessible and resilient so that everyone can afford to work, live and build their future here."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)