Photo courtesy Lowell Historic Board

Governor Maura Healey today announced $18-million in Housing Development Inceptive Program (HDIP) awards to create 288 total new units in six Gateway Cities across the state.

The awards include a trio of Lowell housing developments, each securing $2.5-million toward their project.

The Mass Mills Boiler Building and Mass Mills Main Power Building, both sponsored by Mullins Company, will create 65 and 30 housing units respectively. The Emery, sponsored by Heritage Properties, consists of 37-units.

“The Mass Mills Boiler and Power Buildings are the only portion of the entire complex that remain vacant to date,” said Lowell Mayor Danny Rourke. “To see the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) awards and know these important structures are being transformed is a huge win for historic preservation in Lowell. I am equally excited to see The Emery Building has also been awarded HDIP funding. This new construction project will bring a vacant parcel in our historic downtown back to life. These are exactly the types of projects Lowell is happy to support. We are very appreciative and would like to thank Governor Healey and her administration for their commitment to housing and economic development.”

“I’m so pleased to see these Lowell projects being funded,” adds Lowell City Manager Tom Golden. “This commitment of state Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) funding is helping the city gain 132 units of new housing. Mullins Company and Heritage Properties are two community partners who have invested millions in the city. We are happy to see these new projects being funded and look forward to continuing our partnership with both developers. We are incredibly grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities for this vital investment through the HDIP.”

These awards close out the third and final competitive HDIP application round of 2024, which saw a record number of new homes created since Governor Healey increased HDIP from $10 million to $30 million a year with a one-time infusion of $57 million as part of her $1 billion tax cuts package that she signed in October 2023. As a result, the administration awarded a total of $72 million to create 1,544 new housing units in Gateway Cities in 2024.

“The HDIP Program has been a proven success in building more reasonably-priced housing in Gateway Cities across the country. We were proud to expand this program as part of our historic tax cuts package, and we’re thrilled to see this funding being put to work across the states,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Together, we’re making it more affordable for people to live in their communities while also attracting more business, industry and culture to our incredible Gateway Cities.”

The announcement was made alongside local elected officials, housing developers, and awardees on Main Street in Fitchburg.

“I’m grateful to Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll for directing critical investments through the Housing Development Incentive Program, a game-changer for Gateway Cities,” Congresswoman Lori Trahan said. “This program helps create much needed market-rate housing, drives economic growth, and breathes new life into our downtowns. While Washington threatens to pull back on federal housing support, Massachusetts is charting a better course by investing in solutions that deliver real results for working families.”