Beverly, Mass. - The Beverly Housing Authority plans to build two two-family homes on Spring Street near the Montserrat train station and rent them at affordable rates to low-income people.
The homes will be built on land the MBTA sold to the Housing Authority years ago for $1, said Beverly Housing Authority Executive Director Kevin Ascolillo. The authority already operates one home on the land. That three-bedroom house will be upgraded as part of this project, which will cost $1 million to $1.2 million overall, Ascolillo said.
Ascolillo said the two new buildings will be two-family homes built in a townhouse style and will fit in with the existing homes in the neighborhood.
"Our whole philosophy on affordable housing isn't what you saw going up 20 years ago," he said. "Everything we do now is geared toward making it blend into the community so you don't even know it's affordable housing."
The homes will be rented to people who qualify as low-income according to state guidelines. A family of four with a household income of less than $66,150 and an individual who makes less than $46,300 qualifies as low income, according to the guidelines.
The Housing Authority has been awarded a $452,000 grant and low-interest loan through the Federal Home Loan Bank Program as well as $110,000 from the city of Beverly to help pay for the project, Ascolillo said.
The agency is also looking for other sources of money, including a state program that encourages housing near public transportation.
"It's right at the train station, so it's a perfect site for this type of funding," Ascolillo said.
Ascolillo said the agency is looking into making the new houses handicapped-accessible to accommodate returning war veterans. He's hoping construction could begin early in 2010.
Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at (978) 338-2675 or pleighton@salemnews.com.