Groundbreaking

Brookview House Breaks Ground

Artist drawing of new Brookview III

Boston – Brookview House (“Brookview”), which provides families experiencing homelessness with safe housing and support services, broke ground recently on Brookview III, a new affordable housing development.  

The $5.5 million facility will be Brookview’s third building.

It will include 12 units of two- and three-bedroom apartments along with ground-floor space for programs and support services. Upon completion, the building will bring the total number of Brookview’s units to 54.

In 1990, Brookview developed the original 10,000sf building at 2 Brookview Street – with eight units of two- and three- bedroom housing, youth space, offices, and meeting space. In 2003, the agency developed a $1.8 million, 7,000sf addition to the existing building. The end result is 12 units of supportive housing with two- and three-bedroom units, offices, meeting space, and a youth center licensed by the commonwealth for school-age children. In 2004, the agency completed capital renovations to the building at 2 Brookview Street.

Each year, Brookview provides 370 women and children experiencing homelessness with a safe, supportive environment in which to live and acquire and practice skills to pursue education, job training, and employment in order to achieve long-term stability and economic independence. At-risk women and children who live in the community are also invited to participate in Brookview’s programs and services.

Ninety-two percent of mothers maintain permanent housing after leaving, and 88% of the children graduate from high school, compared to the national average of only 25%.

The $5.5 million in financing for Brookview III was secured with $1.5 million from the City of Boston’s Dept. of Neighborhood Development and the Boston Neighborhood Housing Trust; $2 million from the Mass. Department of Housing and Community Development; and a $450,000 grant from the Early Education and Out of School Time facilities improvement fund, which is financed through the state’s capital budget and jointly administered by the Department of Early Education and Care and the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation, and its affiliate, the Children’s Investment Fund, in addition to commercial loans and Brookview’s own fundraising.