City Of Boston Celebrates Construction Start On Final Parcels Of Welcome Home, Boston Phase I

A Major Milestone in Expanding Affordable Homeownership Opportunities for Boston Residents

Boston has reached a significant milestone in addressing its housing affordability crisis. With all 13 parcels in Phase I now under construction, the Welcome Home, Boston initiative is actively building 72 new affordable homes across Dorchester neighborhoods. This achievement represents a major step forward in Mayor Michelle Wu’s commitment to making Boston a city where residents can afford to own homes and build generational wealth.

Breaking Ground on Erie and Glenway: The Final Piece

The Erie/Glenway project, which broke ground in mid-November, marks the completion of all Phase I transactions and will deliver nine new homes across three buildings. This development, led by the African Community Economic Development of New England (ACEDONE), represents the final parcels needed to complete the ambitious first phase of the Welcome Home, Boston program.

The completion of this phase signals not just physical construction progress, but the fulfillment of a promise to create pathways to affordable homeownership for working families who have been priced out of Boston’s competitive real estate market.

What is Welcome Home, Boston?

Launched during Mayor Wu’s 2023 State of the City address, Welcome Home, Boston aims to close the racial wealth gap by increasing homeownership opportunities for Boston residents while supporting developers of color and small local builders. The program takes formerly vacant, City-owned parcels and transforms them into vibrant new communities where families can put down roots.

The initiative stands out for its dual focus: creating affordable housing solutions while simultaneously empowering minority-owned businesses and local developers who understand the communities they’re building in.

Phase I Development Teams: Building with Community in Mind

The chosen teams, including the African Community Economic Development Organization of New England (ACEDONE), Boston Communities, Dorchester Design Collaborative, and Norfolk Design and Construction, are state-certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and/or Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE), or Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) companies known for their commitment to diversity and community support.

These development partners bring more than construction expertise—they bring cultural competence and a deep commitment to the Dorchester neighborhoods they’re revitalizing. Each team has demonstrated dedication to hiring local contractors and creating economic opportunities that ripple through the community.

Current Construction Status Across Dorchester

All 13 parcels across Dorchester are now actively under construction, with projects in various stages of completion:

• Erie/Glenway Streets: 9 new homes across 3 buildings (recently broke ground)
• Harvard Street: 25 affordable homeownership units across three buildings
• Geneva Avenue and Macneil Way: Multiple parcels under development
• Norwell Street: 3 parcels in construction

Other developments by Boston Communities, Dorchester Design Collaborative, and Norfolk Design & Construction are each in various stages of construction and will be completed in 2026.

Affordability: Making Homeownership Accessible

The homes being created through Welcome Home, Boston Phase I specifically target working families who have been squeezed out of Boston’s housing market. These teams will develop formerly city-owned vacant parcels in Dorchester into 63 new affordable homes on various streets, creating homeownership opportunities for households with incomes below 80 and 100 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI).

For many Boston families, particularly communities of color, homeownership has been an increasingly distant dream. This program provides a concrete pathway to building wealth and stability through property ownership.

Phase II Already Underway: Expanding to Mattapan

The success of Phase I has enabled the program to move forward with even greater ambition. Phase II of the initiative is now underway, with the first project at the VIBE/MCMI team’s Ballou and Selden Street development in Mattapan set to begin construction. That project will deliver 18 new homes across five City-owned parcels.

Additional closings for Phase II are scheduled through winter 2025–2026, bringing 72 more homes to neighborhoods in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan. This expansion demonstrates the program’s scalability and the city’s commitment to addressing housing needs across multiple neighborhoods.

Phase III: Looking Ahead to Even More Communities

The momentum continues to build. This summer, Mayor Wu announced Welcome Home, Boston Phase III, making 11 additional City-owned parcels available for redevelopment into more than 30 new homes for first-time, middle-income homebuyers in Hyde Park, Roslindale, Dorchester, and Roxbury.

Phase III incorporates forward-thinking requirements that align with Boston’s broader goals. Developers were encouraged to utilize efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable construction methods that align with Boston’s carbon neutrality and resilience goals.

The Broader Impact: Closing the Racial Wealth Gap

Homeownership has long been recognized as one of the primary vehicles for building generational wealth in America. However, historical discrimination and ongoing systemic barriers have created stark disparities in homeownership rates between white families and families of color in Boston and across the nation.

MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay stated: “We share the city’s commitment in confronting the housing challenges facing our residents and are thrilled for the future owners of these new homes who will be able to start building wealth they may someday pass on to the new generations”.

The Welcome Home, Boston program directly confronts these disparities by creating affordable pathways to homeownership in Boston, while ensuring that the developers creating these opportunities are themselves members of communities that have been historically excluded from wealth-building.

Support Systems: Boston Home Center Resources

The Welcome Home, Boston program builds on the work of the Boston Home Center, which offers homebuyer education, downpayment and closing cost assistance, and the One+Boston mortgage program to help first-time homebuyers build stability and wealth.

These wraparound services ensure that families aren’t just given access to affordable homes—they’re also equipped with the financial literacy, resources, and support systems needed to succeed as homeowners. From understanding mortgage options to accessing downpayment assistance programs, the Boston Home Center provides comprehensive support throughout the homebuying journey.

Historic Housing Progress Under Mayor Wu

The Welcome Home, Boston initiative is just one component of Mayor Wu’s comprehensive approach to addressing Boston’s housing crisis. 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, and has launched new policies to make it easier, faster, and less expensive to build housing across every neighborhood.

This production represents a historic commitment to housing creation that touches every Boston neighborhood and income level, from deeply affordable units to workforce housing.

What This Means for Boston Families

For the 72 families who will ultimately purchase homes in Welcome Home, Boston Phase I developments, this program represents more than just affordable housing—it’s an opportunity to:

• Build equity through homeownership rather than paying rent
• Establish roots in stable, vibrant Dorchester communities
• Access better schools and neighborhood amenities
• Create generational wealth that can be passed to children
• Participate in community governance as property owners
• Benefit from property appreciation over time

The ripple effects extend beyond individual families. New homeowners contribute to neighborhood stability, support local businesses, engage in civic life, and mentor the next generation about the possibilities of homeownership.

Timeline and Next Steps

With all Phase I parcels now under construction and expected completion in 2026, prospective homebuyers should:

1. Connect with the Boston Home Center to begin the homebuyer education process
2. Monitor the lottery system for income-restricted homes as they become available
3. Prepare financially by improving credit scores and saving for downpayments
4. Explore assistance programs like One+Boston mortgage and downpayment grants
5. Stay informed about Phase II and Phase III opportunities

The Future of Affordable Homeownership in Boston

The construction start on the final parcels of Welcome Home, Boston Phase I represents more than a construction milestone—it’s a statement about Boston’s values and priorities. In a city where housing costs have skyrocketed and homeownership has become increasingly unattainable for working families, this program offers a tangible solution.

By transforming vacant city-owned land into thriving residential communities, supporting minority-owned developers, and creating genuine affordability for households earning 80-100% of area median income, Welcome Home, Boston is pioneering a replicable model for other cities facing similar challenges.

As these 72 homes take shape across Dorchester and additional phases move forward in Mattapan, Roxbury, Hyde Park, and Roslindale, the program demonstrates that with political will, community partnership, and strategic investment, cities can create meaningful pathways to homeownership for those who have been systematically excluded.

For families who have dreamed of owning a home in Boston but faced seemingly insurmountable barriers, Welcome Home, Boston is turning that dream into reality—one parcel, one home, one family at a time.