City Funds Acquisition of Future Affordable Housing Site

The Cambridge Housing Authority Will Develop New Affordable Family Housing at 16-28 Porter Street

The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA), with financial support from the Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust (AHT), has successfully purchased 16-28 Porter Street, the latest property purchased with City funds to advance the City’s efforts to address the housing affordability crisis.

The 12,920 square-foot parcel is located in the Wellington-Harrington neighborhood, a location surrounded by amenities such as Twin City Plaza, Gold Star Mothers Park, the Lechmere MBTA station, and the shops and restaurants on Cambridge Street.

CHA anticipates the site could support approximately 50 to 55 family-sized apartments and is expected to move forward under the City’s Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO). In the months ahead, CHA will begin the community engagement and planning process, providing opportunities for community input to ensure the project integrates seamlessly with the surrounding neighborhood.

"Porter Street represents an exciting opportunity for CHA to build new affordable homes for families in a neighborhood that is accessible to public transit, shopping, and public amenities including parks, schools and libraries," said Clara Fraden, Chief Executive Officer of the Cambridge Housing Authority. “We are grateful to the City for their continued partnership and for their support of this acquisition. We look forward to working with neighbors to expand housing opportunities and support the diverse needs of Cambridge’s low and moderate-income families.”

The Housing Department and CHA will share updates on the project timeline and details of upcoming community meetings as they become available. Community members can sign up to receive email notifications about AHO projects, including community meeting announcements, using this AHO email list signup form.