City of Boston Celebrates Start of Construction of 35 Affordable Senior Homes in South Boston

The Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH), South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation (South Boston NDC), Age Strong, elected officials, community partners, and residents celebrated the groundbreaking of McDevitt Senior Homes, an affordable housing development for older Boston residents in South Boston. The project will transform the former St. Augustine’s Convent into 35 income-restricted apartments for seniors, along with one on-site manager’s unit, while preserving the historic character of the property.

All 35 senior apartments will be affordable to households earning at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI), including 16 apartments for households earning at or below 30% of AMI. The development is designed to help older residents with limited incomes remain in Boston and age in place with stable housing, accessible spaces, and connections to supportive services.

“Boston continues to meet the housing needs of our older residents living on limited or fixed incomes,” said Sheila A. Dillon, Chief of Housing. “McDevitt Senior Homes will provide high-quality supportive housing while repurposing the St. Augustine Convent, an important part of a neighborhood’s history. These homes will give older residents the stability, accessibility, and support they need to remain in South Boston and stay connected to the community they know.”

McDevitt Senior Homes will redevelop the five-story former convent while preserving many of its defining architectural features, including the front yard, historic entrance, and fifth-floor solarium. An addition to the adjacent former Paraclete Foundation building will complement the existing structure. The building and apartments are being designed to support aging in place, with an on-site resident service coordinator to connect residents with services and resources. Shared amenities will include a community room with a kitchenette and bathroom, on-site laundry facilities, two elevators and views of the Boston skyline.

"Affordable, stable housing is essential to healthy aging, and McDevitt Senior Homes will provide older adults with the opportunity to remain in the community they know and love," said Emily Shea, Commissioner of Age Strong Boston. "This development will give low-income seniors a safe, welcoming place to call home while helping them stay connected to their neighbors, local services, and the vibrant South Boston community. We are grateful to South Boston NDC and our City partners for making this important investment in Boston's older residents."

Since taking office, Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration has made aging in place a key part of Boston’s housing and community strategy, expanding affordable housing opportunities for older adults while investing in programs that help residents remain stable, connected, and independent in their neighborhoods. The City has supported the creation and preservation of hundreds of affordable homes for older residents, launched new housing stability efforts to help seniors on fixed incomes avoid displacement, and invested in accessibility and improvements to housing serving older adults. Through the Age Strong Commission, the City has also expanded neighborhood programming, awarded more than $2 million to over 70 community partners, increased access to behavioral health services and benefits enrollment, and expanded transportation and other supports. Together, these efforts are helping older Bostonians remain safely and affordably housed while staying connected to the communities they helped build.

"McDevitt Senior Homes reflects South Boston NDC's commitment to preserving our neighborhood's history while responding to today's housing needs," said Donna Brown, Executive Director of South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation. "For decades, the former St. Augustine's Convent has been an important part of this community, as home to the Sisters of Notre Dame, who taught hundreds of local children, and to the Paraclete Foundation that provided educational enrichment programs for local youth.  The Paraclete Foundation sold the property for a below- market price to facilitate the development of affordable senior housing. We are grateful to Mayor Wu, the Mayor's Office of Housing, the Community Preservation Committee, and all of our funding partners for making this vision a reality. "

The project was made possible in part by funding from the Mayor's Office of Housing and the Community Preservation Fund.  Other sources include: the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, Mass Development bond financing, construction and permanent funding from Eastern Bank. Support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts includes funding from the following programs: Climate Ready Housing, Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Community Based Housing,  Housing Stability Fund and Housing Innovation Fund.

Under Mayor Michelle Wu’s leadership, Boston has made historic progress toward creating and preserving homes that residents can afford. Since the start of her first term, the City has produced or begun construction on more than 18,000 new homes, including thousands of income-restricted units. The Mayor has launched new policies to make it easier, faster, and less expensive to build housing across every neighborhood.  In addition to the production of new housing, Mayor Wu has also directed record levels of investment to expand affordable homeownership and support renters and homeowners who face housing instability.

Through innovative programs like the Housing Accelerator Fund, Welcome Home Boston, and the Housing with Public Assets initiative, the City is finding new ways to create housing on public land, convert vacant buildings into homes, and support residents in building wealth and stability. The Mayor’s focus on climate and health has also made Boston a national leader in green and energy-efficient housing. Together, these efforts are helping to make Boston a city where every resident can have a safe, stable, and affordable home, and where communities can grow stronger for generations to come.