The Worcester Housing Authority, along with its non-profit affiliate Building Futures Inc., broke ground on a 24-unit residential building, called A Place to Live, aimed at housing members of Worcester’s homeless population.
The project, at 38 Lewis St. in Worcester, which is off of Southbridge Street, will also offer access to services aimed to help residents with a variety of needs, provided by outside agencies and organizations, according to a Thursday press release from the WHA.
Each unit in the 10,000-square-foot building will offer a small kitchen with a cooking range, air conditioning, and a full bathroom. Two of the units will be wheelchair accessible.
The project, expected to be complete in Spring 2023, is estimated to cost $7.8 million, with funding provided by city, state, and federal agencies, as well as a loan from Fidelity Bank of Leominster.
Stutman Contracting, Inc. of Oxford has been chosen as the project’s builder.
“A Place To Live is an exciting opportunity and a unique model that strikes a balance between independent and group living, designed to attract individuals who might typically be wary of moving off the streets,“ stated Alex Corrales, CEO of the WHA and BFI in a press release.
According to a report by the Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance Inc., Worcester’s homeless population jumped from 342 in March 2021 to 551 in March 2022.
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