Helping Families
Lack
of safe, affordable housing is a major issue for
many people across the country, including many
living in the Gloucester area.
For years, ACTION INC. has worked to address housing
issues here on Cape Ann by providing housing related
advocacy services and by owning and operating
affordable housing units for economically
disadvantaged individuals.
In recent years,
more and more families have been displaced from
their homes after parents lose their jobs,
experience foreclosure, or face other financial and
personal crises. Through the
Home Together initiative,
ACTION is now working to provide
high quality,
safe, affordable, and permanent housing to families
who are trying to get by on extremely limited
incomes.
The Project
In October 2010 ACTION
purchased land at 26-28 Marsh Street in Gloucester
and began applying for grants to fund four
brand new, family-friendly rental units.
The support for
Home Together
from both public and private funding sources has
been impressive, and construction
completed in Spring 2013 (scroll
down for photos showing how the project progressed).
The units were designed by Gloucester architect Robert Mitnik and take advantage of
green building technology. The Home
Together project also includes
scattered-site vouchers, allowing us to connect an
additional five families with affordable housing
placements throughout Gloucester.
The Services
Home
Together residents
will have access to a wide range of wrap-around support services
provided through ACTION, taking a holistic and
collaborative approach
to addressing each family's unique needs and
barriers to success. These services will be
offered in-kind through ACTION’s
Client and Housing
Services,
Job Training and
Education, and
COMPASS Youth Programs.
Additionally, ACTION’s
longstanding partnerships with a wide range of local
community service agencies will ensure
complete accessibility of
services to address
each family’s needs.
Progress
Acknowledgements
Architect: Robert I.
Mitnik, Gloucester
■
Contractor:
Curtis Construction Co., Quincy
■
Development Associate:
Rothschild & Associates, Holliston
Funding generously
provided by:
City of Gloucester Affordable Housing Trust
■
First National Bank of Ipswich
■
Franklin Square House Foundation
■ Massachusetts Department of
Housing and Community Development
■
MassHousing
■ North Shore
HOME Consortium
■ United States
Department of Housing and Urban Development
