Former Hudson police station receives funding to develop affordable housing units

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Former Hudson police station receives funding to develop affordable housing units
Drone photography shows the former Hudson police station on Packard Street. (Photo/Tami White)

HUDSON – The former Hudson Police Department station is one step closer to becoming an affordable housing development.

The Baker-Polito administration approved $93.4 million in direct funding and $33 million in state and federal housing tax credits from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to develop 790 housing units spanning 14 projects throughout Massachusetts.

Among the projects that received funding from the DHCD is the former station located at 62 Packard Street.

The developer of the project is Metro West Collaborative Development, Inc. DHCD will support the project with federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidized funds. This project will receive $17.5 million in funding from DHCD.

Metro West Collaborative Development, is proposing to construct 40 affordable units, which would include 31 apartments at the rear of the site and nine townhouses in front of Packard Street.

The redevelopment of the site was approved at Town Meeting in 2020.

According to Assistant Director of Planning and Community Development Pam Helinek, one of the buildings would be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In addition, there would be a parking lot with 47 spaces in between the apartments and the townhouses. The developers also want to construct a patio and have open space to the right of the apartments.

Originally, there were 40 parking spaces proposed as part of the project. However, Helinek said the developers decided to reconfigure the lot after town officials voiced concerns about the lack of parking.

She said that the extra spots would most likely be used for guest parking, and she anticipates that some of the spots may remain vacant.

As housing prices rise, Helinek said residents are getting “priced out” of living in homes, which makes affordable housing more appealing to people.

“Older people, disabled people, or any young families just getting started would be able to afford to live here with the rising housing prices. They will now have a better chance. I think that is a really important thing for the community,” she said.

Grant approved as part of “mini round”

The Affordable Housing Trust had applied for the funding for the first time this year, but did not get approved, which Helinek said is common.

However, she said the trust was invited back to apply for the “mini round,” which consisted of “really good projects” that are “ready to hit the ground running.”

“We were very excited to get approved for funding,” she said.

Now that the project has received funding, Helinek said the Affordable Housing Trust is “finalizing various construction documents” and preparing to close on the project.

She said that closing on affordable housing projects is “complicated” because there are multiple funding sources for the project, which include the grant, local funding and a donation from the Affordable Housing Trust.

Helinek anticipates the closing will be completed in July. Then, developers would begin the demolition and construction process quickly after.

She added that the project would be completed by October 2024, and the development would achieve full occupancy by March 2025.

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