$41-million low-income housing renovation project to start next week

Total development costs of $41 million are funded by $28 million in financing from the DHCD and $13 million from the state tax credit program.

A second renewal phase at the nearby St. Lo site will cost an additional $3 million and include the creation of 10 apartments for the handicapped.

In 2005, the development was initially given around $10 million in funding to update the kitchens and baths in the units, which have not been refurbished since 1989

However, two years later, when Kevin Bumpus became the authority’s executive director, he said, “we really need to do a comprehensive project here.”

Now, plans call for interior renovations to the nine two-story buildings beyond new kitchens and baths, including installing new security systems and replacing windows, insulation, doors and heating systems with Energy-Star rated alternatives.

Exterior work, roadways and landscaping – including new walkways, steps and play areas – will also be redesigned, and improvements will also focus on enhancing curb appeal along Route 126.

“It’s the right time [for the renovations] and we’re grateful to DHCD for helping us secure funding and for the support of the Town of Framingham to be able to get this project underway,” Bumpus said in the press release.

All work will be carried out in unoccupied buildings; however, buildings adjacent to the construction will be occupied.

The groundbreaking is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Oct. 21, and will feature speakers and guests including state, local and community leaders and elected representatives, housing officials and housing authority residents.

“The Musterfield redevelopment offers a unique opportunity to improve the lives of community residents while preserving affordable housing for the future,” said Bumpus in the release. “There’s no question there’s a continued need for affordable housing. This project will ensure it will be available for Framingham area families who need it in the years ahead.”

The housing development was built in 1954 to house veterans and their families. The redevelopment project represents the first comprehensive modernization of the apartments in nine two-story brick buildings since their construction, said the release.

The Framingham Housing Authority currently assists 386 families and 606 seniors and disabled individuals with federal and state-funded housing in town. The authority also provides 983 units of subsidized rental units to families in Framingham and surrounding communities.

For more, visit www.framha.org.