Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD), in collaboration with Block Properties, LLC are pleased to announce the affordable rental opportunities for two rental apartments, both located at 3 Ward Street, Somerville. The apartments are available for rent through the Inclusionary Housing Program via an application and lottery process for income-eligible households with a combined gross income that meets the income eligibility requirements detailed below.

Preferences will be provided to households who currently reside or work full time in Somerville (32 hours or more per week) and provide current verification dated within the last thirty (30) days from the date a complete application is submitted.

*Tenants must pay electric heating, gas cooking and hot water. Applicable pet ($25) and parking fees ($75) are deducted from rent.

**Minimum income requirement waived for households with MRVP, Section 8, PASS or other mobile rental voucher

*** Head of household cannot be full-time student; other eligibility requirements apply.

3 Ward St. is a mixed-use four-story wood frame, building with retail space on the ground floor anticipated for completion mid-September 2019.This building consists of 12 rental apartments on three floors above ground floor, 12 parking spaces (9 within the building and 3 across the street) and 12 bicycle parking spaces. There is free on-site parking for one bike per unit. One parking space will be available per unit for rent. There is no storage space. One pet per household is allowed; a dog up to 50 lbs., or a cat.

Additional restrictions apply for the two apartments available through the City of Somerville’s Inclusionary Housing Program including: 1) the head of household cannot be a full time student and 2) an asset limit of $250,000 excluding restricted retirement, college savings and health plans. Inclusionary units must be the household’s primary principal residence. The units cannot be subleased; rooms cannot be placed on AirBnB or similar websites. Households who move into these units are subject to annual income re-certifications to ensure their continued eligibility. Interested applicants should prepare to proceed with an income certification after the lottery if their number is pulled first from the bingo wheel; the Housing Division recommends households begin to collect their: 1) 2018 Federal Tax Returns (all pages and schedules), W2s and 1099s, and 2) the most recent three (3) months of all income and all asset (ex. Bank, Venmo/ Paypal statements) statements. The City reserves the right to request more income/asset information during the income certification.

The Housing Division and Block Properties LLC will host two information sessions to review income and asset eligibility requirements, the application, lottery process and restrictions. The first information session will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in the third floor Community Room of the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) located at 259 Lowell Street in Somerville. All guests must sign in at the front desk prior to heading up to the Community Room. A second information session is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday September 12, 2019 in the Performance Hall of the Armory located at 191 Highland Avenue #1C, Somerville. Pre-lottery applications will be distributed at the end of the first information session.

On August 5, 2019 information and pre-lottery applications can also be printed from the City of Somerville’s Inclusionary Housing Program website or picked up at the City Hall Annex located at 50 Evergreen Ave., City Hall located at 93 Highland Ave., and the Somerville Public Library branches. Complete pre-lottery applications must be submitted and received by the Housing Division located on the first floor of the Somerville City Hall Annex at 50 Evergreen Ave. by 2 p.m. on Monday, September 30, 2019. Applications must be completed and signed by all adult household members. Applicants must write “N/A” in sections that do not apply and should not leave any part of their application blank. Incomplete and late application will not be accepted. Applications submitted by piece-meal will not be accepted.

Complete and eligible pre-lottery applications received before the deadline will be included in the lottery scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at 11 a.m. in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. Applicants do not need to attend the lottery to proceed with an income certification. The lottery will be available to watch on the Youtube at SomervilleCityTV. The two winners will be notified immediately after the lottery and will have five business days to submit initial income and asset documents. All applicants will be notified of their standing on the waiting list for both units via email by September 5, 2019.

Complete applications can be submitted via email to inclusionary@somervillema.gov, via fax at 617-591-3235, or mail and in person at the Annex. The Housing Division is open from Monday-Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. If you have any additional questions regarding this opportunity please contact Andres Bueno at 617-625-6600 ext. 2584.

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.                              

Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Nency Salamoun, at 617-625-6600 x2323 or NSalamoun@somervillema.gov.