FY22 Highlights

Metro Housing has responded quickly and flexibly to provide program participants better and more accurate service. We reopened our newly designed office lobby to the public in 2022 after remaining closed due to the pandemic. Visitor & Safety Navigators are now available to direct walk-ins to the correct resources. Technology upgrades include the addition of two Service Kiosks in our lobby that offer a one-stop resource for many needs, including submitting documents, making appointments, applying for housing vouchers, and checking waitlist status.

The pandemic and the resulting employment uncertainty resulted in a compounding of the existing problems in the housing market. Those who had affordable places to live were in jeopardy of losing them because of Covid-19’s economic impact. The state-funded RAFT program was supplemented by ERMA (Emergency Rent and Mortgage Assistance) and ERAP (Emergency Rent Assistance Program), allowing Metro Housing to distribute more than $162 million in assistance to more than 18,000 families.

COVID-19 has created so many hardships for families throughout our region. Closed businesses and loss of income resulted in a high number of families needing emergency rental assistance. Metro Housing worked closely with community partners, including the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, Georgetowne Homes, and the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center to present workshops to assist hundreds of tenants and property owners in completing applications for assistance.

Champions of Housing honors leaders in our community who share our passion and commitment to ensuring that everyone in Greater Boston has a place to call home. Champions of Housing honorees (upper left, clockwise): Teronda Ellis, Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation; Joe Rettman, NEI General Contacting; Chrystal Kornegay, MassHousing; Brendan Goodwin, MA Department of Housing and Community Development; and Alex Train, City of Chelsea.

Team Metro Housing has had runners compete and raise funds through the Boston Marathon since 2006 thanks to the John Hancock Nonprofit Program, raising more than $605,000. This year’s team trained during a cold and snowy New England winter as the 2022 Marathon returned to its normal running on Patriot’s Day. Pictured clockwise from top left: Gina Scheer; Elis Mimmo; Yesenia Arango; Tim Balut; and (center) Jennie DiFelice.

Nathaniel King was selected as the 2022 recipient of the Lowell L. Richards, III Fellowship for Leadership and Public Service. He plans to graduate with a Master of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning degree from Tufts University in 2023. Nathaniel completed his fellowship this past summer with the Massachusetts Port Authority’s (Massport) Real Estate and Asset Management Department, where Lowell Richards was Chief Development Officer for more than ten years. Lowell L. Richards, III served on Metro Housing’s Board of Directors for nearly 30 years and as co-chair for twelve years.