HUD HONORS COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, AND CITIES OF BOSTON AND LYNN WITH "DOORKNOCKER AWARD"
HUD partners recognized for their outstanding work in affordable housing

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that its is recognizing 20 state and local governments around the country - including the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the cities of Boston and
Lynn - with the first national HOME Doorknocker Award for their outstanding work in providing affordable housing to low-income and underserved people (please see below for project descriptions).

From revitalizing distressed neighborhoods to preserving affordable housing, each community represents a model for developing innovative housing solutions to meet the specific needs in their areas.

HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson announced the awards to 15 local communities and five state governments for
their remarkable work in using federal funding provided through HUD's HOME Investment Partnerships Program.
The announcement of the Doorknocker Awards also marks the 15th anniversary of the HOME Program, the largest federal block grant program dedicated to producing affordable housing at the local level.

"Whether it's providing homeownership opportunities to lower income families looking to share in the American
Dream or designing cutting edge affordable housing, these communities are proof that, working together, we can
make a real difference," said Jackson. "These communities are leading the way toward building better communities
and opening more doors to people who are most in need."

HUD presented the awards to the five state winners at HUD's HOME 15th Anniversary State Celebration today in Washington, sponsored by HUD, the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) and the Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA). Awards for the 15 local communities will be presented at HUD's HOME 15th Anniversary Local Government Celebration on January 18th with the National Community Development Association (NCDA), the National Association for County Community and Economic Development (NACCED), and the National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (NALHFA).

Each year, HUD allocates approximately $2 billion to more than 600 state and local participating jurisdictions to increase the stock of affordable housing. Last year's HOME allocation to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was $15,916,041; to the city of Boston was $8,743,255; and to the city of Lynn was $1,114,091.

Since program inception, over 550,000 affordable units nationwide have been completed and nearly 114,000
tenants nationwide have received rental assistance through the Department's HOME program.

Each award-winning project demonstrates how the flexibility provided by the HOME program can be used by state
and local governments to meet the unique challenges of housing low-income families and expanding homeownership opportunities. These projects can serve as models for other jurisdictions throughout the country.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as
well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.

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NOTE: For information on the specific project, please call the state and/or local government contact (listed on the summaries below). For information on the Doorknocker Award or any HUD services and programs, please contact Kristine Foye at (617) 994-8218.

Doorknocker Awards

MASSACHUSETTS

CITY OF BOSTON'S NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROJECT (TRINITY TERRACE)

This project demonstrates that with proper planning, community input, and a diverse funding blend, even the most distressed and blighted parcels can be revitalized and neighborhoods transformed.

Trinity Terrace is a newly constructed 62-unit affordable rental/cooperative housing project in the Four Corners neighborhood of Dorchester in Boston. The project was developed on the largest underutilized vacant area in the community and was a major impediment to the area's revitalization for more than three decades. One section of
the project replicated the traditional brick bow front buildings, previously a hallmark of the area, and produced 38 units of affordable housing. In addition, the project transformed a trash strewn vacant field into a linear urban park with eight town homes on each side and a community center at its end. Amenities such as a fountain, acorn streetlamps, and newly planted trees compliment the neighborhood in a way that emulates the historic parks of Beacon Hill and the South End. Completing the project and preserving the past is the restoration of a historically significant 19th century corner building that had been vacant for over 30 years. The building now provides 8 units
of affordable housing and a ground floor commercial unit.

The City of Boston's Department of Neighborhood Development conducted an extensive and lengthy community process prior to implementing the project. Concurrent with the community process was the task of assembling the nearly $18 million financing package for a project in which 59 of the 62 units are affordable to families at or below
60 percent area median income.

As a result of the city's efforts, Trinity Terrace has changed the face of Four Corners. Sixty-two families, including
six formerly homeless families, are now part of a vibrant new community.

For More Information Contact: Mary Moran, Department of Neighborhood Development, (617) 635-0409

THE CITY OF LYNN'S NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION (BRICKYARD VILLAGE)

Partners: Lynn Community Development Housing Corporation, Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development, Mayor's Office, State Legislative Delegation, Lynn City Council, Lynn Water & Sewer Commission, HUD Boston Field Office (Community Planning & Development staff) and RENU, a grass roots neighborhood organization.

This project demonstrates that neighborhood revitalization can be successful by developing a comprehensive plan
and implementing a strategy. The City of Lynn, through the Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development, utilized a planning process and a thorough market study before choosing the neighborhood best suited for this type
of redevelopment.

Brickyard Village is a newly constructed subdivision consisting of 28 affordable (below 60 percent of the area's
median income) rental units combined with infrastructure improvements (sewer improvements, new trees, sidewalks) and beautification (Add-A-Yard Program, Target Area Grants, off street parking spaces) in a neighborhood that had experienced extreme dis-investment, crime, and blight over the last thirty years. The project created 3 parking lots, added yards or parking areas to existing homes, repaired the exteriors of the existing housing stock and produced additional homeownership opportunities as well. Brickyard Village has diversity of housing styles (townhouses, duplexes, triplexes, etc.). The architectural designs blend with neighborhood and do not look like low-income
housing. HOME funds were used as construction financing. The new housing attracted families from outside the immediate area, which strengthened the economic diversity and encouraged additional investment.

For More Information Contact: Norman Cole, Director of Planning and Development, LHAND, (781) 581-8621

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS (10-12 SUMMER STREET, MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA)

Partners: Manchester Housing Authority; Affirmative Investments; and, Mostue & Associates.

This project demonstrates that the challenge of preserving affordable rental housing and producing new affordable homeownership in an affluent community can be met with a combination of a committed community-based housing organization, a sophisticated for-profit developer, local and state bond financing, high quality site planning and building design, and the flexibility of HUD's HOME program.

The Ten & Twelve Summer Street project preserved a source of affordable rental housing in the downtown area
in Manchester-by-the-Sea. The town established a plan to rehabilitate existing units and construct for-sale condominiums. The development mixes incomes as well as residential and commercial property with access to
public transportation. The mixture ensures that affordable units remained while maintaining the look and feel of
the neighborhood. The project creatively mixed preservation and production on a limited site in a downtown area without creating sprawl or losing affordable rental units.

For More Information Contact: Daniel Gaulin, Department of Housing and Community Development
(617) 573-1303