[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6332195,"mediaKeyId","2308486-2d27a27daa9c3eb4deb9858d32ea762b","parentId",2308486,"title","Charles River Center proposes 86-unit inclusive housing campus at East Militia Heights, asks Needham CPC for $3.5 million","audioSeconds",5251,"startMs",72000,"endMs",5323000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2308486-2d27a27daa9c3eb4deb9858d32ea762b&start=72&end=5323","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2308486-2d27a27daa9c3eb4deb9858d32ea762b/thumbnail_72000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6332195/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Charles-River-Center-proposes-86-unit-inclusive-housing-campus-at-East-Militia-Heights-asks-Needham-CPC-for-35-million","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6332195-3911dca279d26118f9cb2c320c6f1468/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195214&Signature=do0Y-w1KJeUL5YIRV6am6SZea~Anz~NaDBfyRGLOIquhR9BYqZ9~9TvO8oQCBfku0n81FrAqjYjAuzQu~llc-D2bsOdSXtWHrkE5XFPBURlzKoac4pXe9ofK9NCCONby6g29YIsf1yCkh6suz4m10--a7UBr4HJBDva4oFEtPfPKB2v5m8dDyg2rDcJaSmFSAKFciEvVO27LRYxtdrVOGVcmEeFVd~tcVpWaPeIyIwJPRBo-5Y0jDB8rvVWp~D3U3UcNzhxUJvVXro-qGRwQzFwuhfElCoWbfiNS~QzlN5tVsoGmH7WEBHnMrtU3NfOgjuurXlhNNsT~s~Yn-8n2rA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Needham, MA","date","2025-02-13T00:00:00Z","article","The Charles River Center and nonprofit developer Planning Office for Urban Affairs outlined plans on Feb. 12 for an 86-unit affordable, integrated housing development at the Army-owned East Militia Heights site and asked the Needham Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for $3.5 million toward the project.

The project, presented by Anne Marie Badra, president and CEO of the Charles River Center, would include a three-story central building with 68 units, three single-story buildings with six studio apartments each, and a 4,400-square-foot community center intended to be open to the public. “We touch more than 1,500 men and women and families every year,” Badra said, describing the agency’s mission and client base.

Nut graf: Proponents said the development is intended to fill a service gap for adults with developmental disabilities, including autism, who need intermittent staff support rather than 24/7 group-home care. Presenters called the design “inclusive” and said the mix is intended to integrate people with disabilities, staff and other community households on the same site while offering wraparound supports.

Project design and services: The presentation described 86 units for households earning roughly 30–80% of area median income (AMI), including:
- Approximately 33 studios and 10 one-bedroom units expected to be supported by the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP);
- Seven two-bedroom units proposed for Section 8 voucher support;
- About 26 units at 60% AMI and five workforce units at 80% AMI; and
- Five on-site apartments intended for Charles River Center staff to assist with after-hours needs and recruitment.

Support services outlined by Badra and her team include health and safety monitoring (nurses on-call), vocational training and job coaching, college navigation, social-skill and peer-support groups, transportation assistance and remote-monitoring technologies being developed in collaboration with MIT. “We’re creating 86 new affordable housing units to attract and retain household earnings at or below 30 to 80% of the area median income,” Badra said.

Sustainability and design: Presenters said all buildings will be all-electric, designed to Passive House standards and sited to allow on-site solar generation. The project team named architect and engineering consultants (TAT, VHB) and said the team is pursuing PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) certification and grant opportunities through the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DER) and Mass Save incentives.

Financing and timeline: The development team estimated a total development cost (TDC) just under $50 million (roughly $31 million in hard costs, about $7 million in soft costs, $7 million in fees and reserves and a $5 million acquisition cost). Planned funding sources cited include federal and state low-income housing tax credit equity (about $20 million), state capital funds (approximately $10 million), DER green incentives (about $1.2 million), a sponsor note of roughly $4.8–$5.0 million, and the $3.5 million request to the Needham CPC.

On schedule, the team said it intends to pursue the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) winter funding round (next application cycle) and described a permitting timeline that would include a zoning application (friendly 40B / collaborative approach) with the goal of a zoning board filing in late summer, a construction financing close in early 2027 and occupancy in mid-2028 if the stated funding and approvals are secured.

Outreach and neighbors: The Charles River Center said it has conducted stakeholder outreach since 2022, has mailed more than 200 nearby households, maintains a 6,000-subscriber listserv and plans a project web page, surveys and regular public meetings. Presenters said early neighbor feedback was generally supportive but raised traffic and drainage concerns that the design team will study. State Representative Josh (identified in the meeting as a state representative) attended briefly and voiced support for the project.

Questions and concerns from the CPC: Committee members asked detailed financing questions about utility treatment under MRVP/Section 8, the underwriting assumptions for contract rents versus gross rents, the treatment of five staff units (whether treated as rent-paying units with escrowed reserves or as rent concessions/operating expense), and whether income-averaging for tax credit purposes had been assumed. Committee member Emily said, “I do feel like there’s some areas that haven't been fully explored,” and pressed the team on those financial assumptions and contingencies.

Next steps: Presenters agreed to return with follow-up materials including clarified underwriting for utilities, more detail on the treatment of the staff units, and a schedule for town permitting and project milestones. The CPC did not vote on any funding at the Feb. 12 meeting; the request was entered into the committee’s deliberations for the coming weeks.

Ending: The Charles River Center said it will continue design refinement with town staff and stakeholders and pursue state funding rounds and DER/Mass Save incentives. The CPC scheduled further deliberations in March where members said they expect to review revised budget details and the committee’s available funding before taking a decision.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Needham: Community Preservation Committee 02/12/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Charles River Center and nonprofit developer Planning Office for Urban Affairs outlined plans on Feb. 12 for an 86-unit affordable, integrated housing development at the Army-owned East Militia Heights site and asked the Needham Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for $3.5 million toward the project.","taxTitle","Town of Needham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts","taxId",54445,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6332193,"Needham CPC weighs funding options and timing as Charles River Center seeks $3.5M; committee to revisit in March",2271,5005000,7276000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2308486-2d27a27daa9c3eb4deb9858d32ea762b&start=5005&end=7276","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2308486-2d27a27daa9c3eb4deb9858d32ea762b/thumbnail_5005000.jpg","/articles/6332193/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Needham-CPC-weighs-funding-options-and-timing-as-Charles-River-Center-seeks-35M-committee-to-revisit-in-March","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6332193-3ff1add810a8857d56f61496e2a7f2e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195214&Signature=FYiYQTZOYGnFMN~7ZXxqk0OS307p3fPW7yKziQrqGLw4gyybRuMzi80-5d-mzsardv1AZgSJdkPyyEvglcJohN9-uKyxHxq-uyiEFHCCQAtVOlD5uhUdgwHEqXU8Bc7NPeqWBpf8F~228d1m1U7ILaiZymUQ91VrwxZgqDA9Z~xQ~oOLEwu6D05EQhTSHZriEvEB5UZMVdpunfHfRv4o0-hF~UuEmGgZUVs1H7WeHByMspb9DxG4lNWXNNl1scScR7qApJ12MetpZ7R1u7uSt4wiR5DXlxKM7OWwU0RKZitSHtvEsZa5nXTvDOZVTllo6FfH4t5-nbU7hBF6yjbeiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Needham Community Preservation Committee (CPC) spent the Feb. 12 meeting asking detailed financial and scheduling questions after the Charles River Center requested $3.5 million toward an 86-unit inclusive housing project at East Militia Heights.

Nut graf: Committee members focused on two linked issues: (1) whether the project’s underwriting and budgeting assumptions can be tightened enough to reduce the local funding ask, and (2) how much of the committee’s 2026-appropriation resources the CPC can safely commit now without creating a gap if receipts differ from current estimates.

Discussion highlights: CPC member Emily pressed the development team on financial assumptions, saying, “I do feel like there’s some areas that haven't been fully explored,” and asked the team to return with clarified underwriting for utilities (contract versus gross rents), alternative pro formas that treat the five on-site staff apartments either as rent-paying units (with escrowed reserves) or as rent-concession operating costs, and an analysis of using income averaging to increase tax-credit equity.

Committee funding availability: CPC staff circulated a memo estimating current balances and projected 2026 appropriations. The committee’s fall 2025/2026 resources include an estimated community-housing pot and a general reserve; committee members asked the finance director (Cecilia, referenced in the meeting) for a recommended conservative holdback from the 2026 appropriations to cover receipt uncertainty. The committee discussed a working figure of roughly $6.5 million in combined resources before holdbacks; members asked staff to return with a concise memo showing exact available amounts after recommended holdbacks.

Phasing and bonding options: Committee members and applicants discussed phased approaches for other pending housing projects (Seabeds, Linden/Chambers) and whether the town might offer a municipal bond to leverage state funds. Multiple CPC members said bonding would require separate Select Board and finance-committee conversations; the committee asked staff to pursue a chairs-only meeting with the finance committee and Select Board to explore bond feasibility and timing.

Process and timeline: The CPC scheduled additional deliberation meetings in early March and a public hearing on March 12, with a target decision date tied to warrant deadlines in late March. The Charles River Center team agreed to provide revised materials before the March deliberations so the CPC can evaluate adjustments to the CPC ask.

Votes at a glance: The Feb. 12 meeting recorded routine procedural motions: approval of Feb. 5 minutes (voice vote; unanimous) and a motion to adjourn (voice vote; unanimous). No CPC funding vote occurred on the Charles River Center request.

Ending: The CPC asked the applicant to return with revised financial analyses and a permitting schedule. Staff will circulate an updated memo on available CPC funds and recommended holdbacks before the committee’s March deliberations.","Committee members pressed the Charles River Center team on underwriting, staff-unit treatment and permitting timing. CPC members reviewed available CPC funds and discussed phasing, bonding and reserve holdbacks before a March decision.","actionData","errors"]

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Charles River Center proposes 86-unit inclusive housing campus at East Militia Heights, asks Needham CPC for $3.5 million

Needham CPC weighs funding options and timing as Charles River Center seeks $3.5M; committee to revisit in March