AHSC Starts Construction on Boston Affordable Project

Affordable Housing and Services Collaborative Inc. has commenced construction on Columbia-Uphams, a 91-unit affordable family housing project in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood.

The development consists of the preservation and rehabilitation of two separate buildings, Columbia West Apartments and Uphams Corner Apartments.

AHSC acquired the 45-unit Uphams Corner Apartments in 2018 and the 46-unit Columbia West Apartments in 2020. The present affordable project is financed through federal and state low-income housing tax credits and historic tax credit equity. The owner, along with Peabody Properties which will act as manager once the project delivers, received financing with the help of federal and state low-income housing tax credits and historic tax credit equity. Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities approved the funding application in 2023.

The two buildings will offer units with studio and one- to three-bedroom layouts, including reserved apartments for special populations. The project is slated for completion in June 2025.

Located at 392 Columbia Road, the property will be just off Franklin/Foxboro commuter rail, between the stops Four Corners/Geneva and Uphams Corner. Other major thoroughfares in the area include Interstate 93 and the MBTA Red Line. There are several eateries within a 1-mile radius, as well as supermarkets and grocery stores, while Franklin Park Zoo is less than 2 miles from the property. Downtown Boston is some 4 miles north.

According to a Yardi Matrix report from June, Boston’s multifamily housing market is performing well, with rent prices rising faster than the national average and high occupancy rates, despite a small decline in the latter.