City of Newton, MA
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Mission
Priorities Goals and Guidelines - The Newton Affordable Housing Trust (NAHT) approved this guiding document at their September 28, 2022 meeting. This plan provides guidance to Trustees and potential applicants on the types of potential funding applications, the funding review process and the criteria that the Trust will use in making determinations. The document also includes the Trust's bylaws, goals and eligibility requirements.
Its mission is to preserve existing affordable housing units and enable the creation of new affordable units that are affordable to low and moderate income households, which are households which make less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). The Trust has the ability to create a streamlined process to provide funding to new affordable housing projects and take advantage of development opportunities which might otherwise not be available to the City.
Meetings
The Newton Affordable Housing Trust (NAHT) meets every two months on the third Tuesday at 4:00 p.m., virtually and in-person at City Hall in Room 204. Click here to view all meeting agendas, materials, summaries, audio recordings, and the 2026 meeting schedule.
The next meeting for the NAHT is Tuesday, July 21st 4 p.m. This meeting will be a hybrid meeting that will take place at Newton City Hall Room 204 and virtually via Zoom. To view and participate https://newtonma-gov.zoom.us/j/89472067482 or +13017158592,,89472067482#. The Agenda is available for review here.
News and Updates
Site Feasibility Project: The NAHT is working with the Newton Housing Authority to identify potential City and NHA properties where affordable housing could be developed or expanded in the future. DREAM Collaborative consultants completed a report examining these sites. Download it here.
Applying for Housing Trust Funds
Anyone interested in applying for Trust funds should first reach out to the Trust's staff to review the process and timeline. Staff may also have suggestions for additional items that would be helpful to include with the application. Application materials include the following:
Funded Projects
Newton Gardens Affordable Housing Project- In January 2025, Winn Development was awarded up to $4,000,000 in NAHT funds to purchase the existing apartment complex located at 131 North Street to create Newton Gardens, an affordable housing and workforce housing development. The proposed units would be restricted to be affordable with 30 units to be available to households at or below 80% AMI and 82 units available to households at or below 110% AMI.
Coleman House Senior Affordable Housing Preservation - This project will receive $1,500,000 in NAHT funding to pay for construction cost overruns generated during the 30 year life cycle renovation of the building which began in 2020. Coleman House provides housing and supportive services to 144 very low and extremely low income senior households (at or below 60% AMI) in Newton.
FamilyAid West Newton Family Navigation Center - This project will receive $500,000 in NAHT funding to convert the former Chetwynde Nursing Home at 1650 Washington Street into a transitional housing facility. In additional to housing, FamilyAid will also provide educational programs, housing search assistance, and comprehensive case management resources for those in residence here.
New Funding Requests
793 Washington Street Affordable Housing Development - Beacon Communities is requesting $2,000,000 in Newton Affordable Housing Trust Funds to construct 56 new affordable housing units over 2 new retail spaces on Washington Street in Newtonville. The proposed project will be 100% affordable and comprised of one to three unit apartments that will be available to households with incomes at 30%, 60% and 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
2026 Meeting Schedule
All scheduled meetings will be hybrid meetings beginning at 4:00 P.M. in Room 204.
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
Background and Ordinance
On December 6, 2021, following months of discussion involving the City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee, the Community Preservation Committee, the Newton Housing Partnership, and Mayor Fuller, the City Council approved the creation of our first ever Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Ordinance. As the new Trustees are appointed and the new board takes shape, additional information will be posted here on the Trust's mission, goals, and application process.
The state created the enabling legislation for Municipal Affordable Housing Trusts (MAHT) in 2005 and today more than 120 communities use Trusts to further their community's affordable housing goals. For additional information on this statewide program, please see the links below:
- Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Enabling Legislation (MGL Chapter 44, Section 55C)
- Massachusetts Housing Partnership's Affordable Housing Toolbox provides general information on MAHTs including how they can be formed, funded and utilized to advance affordable housing at the local level
Newton's new ordinance creating the Trust is also available here.
Newton Affordable Housing Trustees
The Trust is made up of seven Trustees including the Mayor, a City Council Member, a Community Preservation Committee member, and four Newton residents with backgrounds in Affordable Housing Development and Financing to be appointed by the Mayor. The Affordable Housing Trust Ordinance calls for these appointees to be geographically, culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse and to have a strong background in affordable housing and affordable housing development. Trustees serve for terms of two (2) years or until their successors take office.
The 2025 Newton Affordable Housing Trustees are:
Ann Houston, Mayoral Appointee, Chair
Peter Sargent, Mayoral Appointee, Vice Chair
Mayor Marc Laredo
City Councilor Susan Albright
Michael Alperin, Mayoral Appointee
Tamirirashe Gambiza, Mayoral Appointee
Judy Weber, Community Preservation Committee Member
Where do NAHT funds come from?
Funding for the Trust comes primarily from the City’s Community Preservation Act Funds. The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) has targeted 35% of its annual funding for community affordable housing projects. In FY23, this 35% translates into approximately $1.9 million in community housing funds which would be available for use by the Trust in the future.
The Trust submits an annual proposal to the CPC to receive these CPA funds. The Trust submitted its first proposal for CPA funding in Fall 2022.
Information on the Trust's available funding and funded projects to date will be posted here when available.
For more information on the possible uses of Newton's Community Preservation Funds, please see the Newton's Community Preservation Program webpage.
Contact Us
For additional information on the Trust, its funding, and the program application process, contact Lara Kritzer, Director of Housing and Community Development, at lkritzer@newtonma.gov or 617-796-1144.