Hearth at Four Corners, a mixed-income apartment community for aging adults in Dorchester, Massachusetts, recently welcomed its first 54 full-time residents. This is a major milestone for NP’s affordable senior housing client, Hearth, and NP’s Affordable Housing and Real Estate team, which worked on the project before and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
I was proud to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 30, which marked the culmination of a five-year initiative. Nixon Peabody was one of more than three dozen entities involved in this project, which forged ahead despite pandemic-related delays. A number of public officials, developers, and funders contributed to a successful outcome for a population in great need.
The concept for Hearth at Four Corners originated in 2016, when the City of Boston sought requests for affordable housing proposals. In July 2018, the Massachusetts Department of Housing included the Hearth project in its annual Rental Round Awards, which provide federal and state tax credits to select developments. The funding enabled the NP team to partner with Hearth, a nonprofit developer, to begin executing the plan.
Hearth’s mission to help end elder homelessness and provide housing to people across the socioeconomic spectrum resonated with us. NP believes in using our legal skills to create positive impact in our communities, and we were a perfect match for the developer and project. Our commitment to collaboration and client service was essential for this project, as it involved more than 30 organizations throughout the state.
Construction on Hearth at Four Corners started in late 2019. Mere months later, COVID-19 entered the United States, putting many affordable housing developments—including this one—on pause. In all, COVID-19 created a seven-month delay, but our enthusiasm and commitment never waned.
This May, Hearth received its certificate of occupancy and immediately leased out 50 units.
The final product, conveniently situated by the Four Corners commercial district, boasts a variety of floor plans and amenities to meet the varying needs of its adult residents, 62 and older. This successful project is the result of the enduring commitment, teamwork, and strong buy-in from the City of Boston.
The NP team on this deal included Affordable Housing counsel Alex Rosso, associate Ali Walendziak, and paralegal Vienna Kim. We are proud to have been a part of opening the doors for Hearth at Four Corners.