Barnstable County Joins Groundbreaking for Provincetown’s New Affordable Housing Project
Today, Tuesday, June 18th, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Jerome Smith Rental Housing project in Provincetown, Massachusetts, brought together a distinguished group of individuals to celebrate the commencement of a vital affordable housing initiative. The event was a milestone in the collaborative efforts to address the pressing need for affordable housing on Cape Cod.
The Community Builders (TCB), a nonprofit organization with a long history of developing and managing affordable housing, is leading the project. Tifany Leung, the Development Project Manager from TCB, welcomed the gathering and underscored the organization’s dedication to creating homes that are both affordable and of high quality.
The project, strategically located at 3 Jerome Smith Road and 55R Captain Bertie’s Way, will introduce 65 new apartments to the community, with 61 units designated as affordable and 4 offered at market rate. This mix of housing options is intended to serve a broad spectrum of income levels, with 13 units specifically earmarked for households earning 30% AMI or less, including three units for individuals with mental health challenges. The development will also feature units that are accessible to persons with mobility and sensory impairments, ensuring that the project is inclusive and accommodating to all potential residents.
The total development cost for the Jerome Smith Rental Housing project is $39,943,621, with a significant portion of the funding coming from a variety of sources, such as federal and state tax credits, subordinate debt from various state sources and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and grants from the Town of Provincetown and MassHousing. Notably, Barnstable County has contributed $300,000 to support the project’s soft costs, demonstrating the county’s commitment to the initiative.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by a host of dignitaries, including Alex Morse, Town Manager of Provincetown, who spoke about the town’s support for the project; David Abramson, Chair of the Provincetown Select Board, who highlighted the importance of affordable housing for the community’s vitality; Kim Driscoll, Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, who emphasized the state’s role in promoting housing solutions; Ed Augusts, Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, who discussed the significance of public-private partnerships; Julian Cyr, Massachusetts State Senator, who addressed legislative efforts to support affordable housing; Mark Teden, Vice President of Multifamily Programs at MassHousing, who detailed the organization’s involvement in the project; and Rachana Crowley, Senior Director of Development at The Community Builders, who provided an overview of the project’s impact and timeline.
The groundbreaking was not only a celebration of the project’s inception but also a symbol of hope for the future of affordable housing in Provincetown and beyond. With construction set to begin, the Jerome Smith Rental Housing project is poised to make a substantial impact by providing 61 much-needed affordable rental apartments, catering to a range of incomes and addressing the acute shortage of affordable housing options in the region.
