State Representative Mike Connolly recently joined with Representative Kevin Honan,  House Chair of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Housing, and other state and local leaders, including Governor Charles Baker, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash, and Undersecretary of Housing and Community Development Chrystal Kornegay to celebrate the announcement of $72 million in housing subsidy and capital funds and  $28 million in low-income housing tax credits that will help create or preserve some 1,698 affordable housing units in 25 projects across Massachusetts.

Included in the announcement is state support for the preservation and production of 112 units of affordable housing located at multiple Just-A-Start properties in the vicinity of East Cambridge, Wellington-Harrington, and Kendall Square. Several of the properties, including St. Patrick’s Church, were destroyed in a massive fire in December 2016. The fire-impacted properties will be demolished and replaced with new, affordable housing, including 12 units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income. Other properties included in the announcement will be rehabilitated with support from the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development and from the City of Cambridge.

“I am proud of the efforts we have made in the City of Cambridge and on the state level to rebuild all of the affordable housing that was lost in last December’s catastrophic fire,” said Rep. Connolly, who also serves on the legislature’s Joint Committee on Housing. “Today’s announcement ensures our ability to replace all of the affordable housing at St. Patrick’s church, while also helping to maintain a substantial number of additional units in Cambridge.”

"It is a good day for the residents of Just-A-Start's affordable housing in Cambridge, said Deborah Ruhe, Executive Director of Just-A-Start.   "Not only will the 16 units lost by the tragic fire be replaced, but also nearly 100 more units will be preserved and updated for the benefit of our residents."

There's additional coverage of the announcement here in the Cambridge Chronicle.