MassHousing recently announced $696,995 in grant funding to support the creation or modernization of 118 affordable sober housing units in 11 communities across Massachusetts.
The grants were made through the Center for Community Recovery Innovations, Inc. (CCRI), a nonprofit subsidiary corporation of MassHousing that helps nonprofits create or preserve affordable sober housing in Massachusetts for individuals in recovery.
The awardees were
Brookview House, Boston, $125,000, to help renovate and preserve 12 affordable sober apartments for women with children.
Casa Esperanza, Boston, $35,970, to help rehabilitate and upgrade Familias Unidad, two houses containing 15 single room occupancy (SRO) units and two units for families.
Dismas House, Oakham, $75,000, to support the creation of two new units of sober housing and preservation of 12 other units at the Dismas Family Farm, a working farm for residents in recovery.
Fall River Community Housing Resource Board, Fall River, $23,725, covers half the cost of a full roof replacement, preserving 22 units of permanent supportive housing for men and women with co-occurring illness at the Stone Residence.
Father Bill’s and Mainspring, Randolph, $75,000, to help construct 10 new affordable sober efficiency apartments with a first preference for homeless veterans.
Latin America Health Alliance, Worcester, $75,000, to provide down payment financing to acquire Casa Colon, creating 11 units of affordable sober SRO housing for men.
Lowell House, Lowell, $75,000, to help convert a garage into two new housing units for young men in recovery and add an accessible ramp at Zack’s House, which currently houses seven young men.
Mental Health Association, Springfield, $44,300, to help renovate and preserve eight units of sober SRO housing at Avon House for men and women with co-occurring illness.
NeighborWorks of Southern Massachusetts, Marshfield, $75,000, to help demolish and then construct a new building with eight new affordable sober efficiency apartments with a preference for homeless veterans.
Self Esteem Boston Educational Institute, Lynn and Leeds, $18,000 to deliver weekly recovery support services to women with children in Lynn and women veterans in Leeds, allowing the women to transition to permanent housing.
South Middlesex Non-Profit Housing Corp., Fitchburg, $75,000, to help create 14 new units of affordable sober SRO housing for men in recovery.
To date, CCRI has awarded more than $10 million in grants to create or preserve nearly 2,200 units of substance-free housing in 50 communities, serving recovery populations that include men, women, families, veterans, the homeless and ex-offenders.