The Town of Arlington does not administer or rent affordable housing units but we do maintain a list of all properties in Town that include Affordable Housing Units. At any given time, there may not be any units available, but you are encouraged to reach out to the property managers at EACH development to request being placed on a waitlist.

All Affordable Housing Units in the State MUST be listed on at least one of the sites below, so please visit each one to search for available units and to sign up for future notifications.

• www.HousingNavigatorMA.org – Massachusetts affordable rental housing
• www.MyMassHome.org – Massachusetts affordable home ownership
• www.Boston.gov/metrolist – Boston-area affordable housing

Arlington Non-Profit Organizations with Affordable Housing Units

Housing Corporation of Arlington

Housing Corporation of Arlington (HCA), a non-profit community development corporation, to develop and manage affordable housing. HCA currently owns approximately 150 units of rental housing for families and small households. Eligibility for tenants is determined by household income. HCA tenants cannot earn more than 60% of the area median income (AMI). HCA staff can also assist residents with a housing search if none of its units are currently available. For more information call HCA at (781) 859-5294 or visit www.housingcorparlington.org.

• 40-42 Dorothy Rd – One (1) Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 10 Sunnyside Ave – Coming Soon! 43 Affordable Housing Units reserved for households earning below 60% AMI

The Arlington Housing Authority (AHA) owns and operates 175 units of affordable family housing, and roughly 500 units of affordable elderly housing (must be 60 or older). Family housing has 2 or 3 bedrooms, and elderly housing has one bedroom. Residents pay 30% of their income for rent. For more information, call AHA (781) 646-3400 or visit www.arlingtonhousing.org.

Caritas Communities

Caritas Communities own 2 properties in Arlington with a total of 35 single-room occupancies with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. For more information, call (781) 843-1242 or visit www.CaritasCommunities.org/our-properties.

Arlington Private Developments with Affordable Housing

882 Mass Ave
882 Mass Ave has three (3) Affordable rental units at 882 Mass Ave. For more information, visit www.mcohousingservices.com or call (978) 456-8388.

1165R Mass Ave – The Artemis
The Artemis has 31 affordable units at 11165R Mass Ave. For more information visit www.maloneyaffordable.com/the-artemis-at-arlington-heights or call (617) 675-1083 ext. 711.

1021-1025 Mass Ave – Majestic Mill Brook – Under Construction
Majestic Mill Brook has 13 affordable homeownership units that will be subject to a lottery process which will be conducted in 2024/5. For more information, and to receive notification of lottery openings, visit www.maloneyaffordable.com/condos-for-sale or call (617) 675-1083 ext. 711.

80 Broadway – Under Construction
80 Broadway will have two (2) affordable rental units that will be subject to a lottery process, likely in 2024/5. For more information or to register for notifications, visit www.housingnavigatorma.org.

455 Mass Ave/14 Medford St – Under Construction
This project will have two (2) Affordable housing units that will be subject to a lottery process, likely in 2024/5. For more information or to register for notifications, visit www.housingnavigatorma.org.

190-192 Mass Ave – Coming soon!
This project will have five (5) affordable housing units that will be subject to a lottery process, likely in 2025. For more information or to register for notifications, visit www.housingnavigatorma.org.

Millbrook Square
Affordable housing for the elderly and disabled, where tenants pay 30% of their income for rent. Applicants must be at least 62 and income eligible. For more information, visit www.millbrooksquare.com or call (781) 641-1410.

Brigham Square
Brigham Square has 17 affordable rental units, located at 30 Mill Street. For more information, visit www.brighamsquare.com or call (781) 643-4910.

Arlington 360
Arlington 360 has 26 affordable rental units. For more information, visit www.maloneyaffordable.com/arlington-360 call (617) 675-1083.

The Arlington Housing Plan serves as the Town's official Housing Production Plan (HPP). It was adopted by the Arlington Redevelopment Board on January 24, 2022 and by the Select Board on April 20, 2022. On May 9, 2022, the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) approved the plan as submitted.

The HPP positions the Town of first and foremost better meet local market-rate and affordable housing needs and demand, and in doing so work towards the Chapter 40B 10% statutory minimum. Learn more about Chapter 40B, the State's affordable housing law, by reading the Citizen's Housing and Planning Association's overview or Massachusetts Housing Partnership's Chapter 40B Handbook for Zoning Boards of Appeal. Towards that end, the HPP consists of three major components: a housing needs and demand assessment; an analysis of development constraints, capacity, and opportunities in town; and an implementation plan consisting of housing goals and strategies to achieve them. The Housing Plan Implementation Committee (HPIC) is charged with implementing the actions identified in the Housing Production Plan.

The Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) tracks Arlington’s progress in meeting the Chapter 40B 10% statutory minimum of affordable housing units in comparison to surrounding communities. As of April 2022, Arlington’s Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) percentage is 6.54% (ratio of affordable units as approved by DHCD to total year-round housing units as reported by the Decennial Census). View the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Chapter 40B Subsidized Housing Inventory for Arlington. (This information is maintained by DHCD and was last updated on April 27, 2022.)

Although units have been added to the SHI, Arlington had only increased its SHI percentage by 0.1% between 2001 and 2020. The percentage increased by 0.24% with the construction of the Housing Corporation of Arlington's Downing Square Broadway Initiative developments at 117 Broadway and 112 Lowell Street, and another 0.6% with the approval of the Comprehensive Permit Application for 1165R Massachusetts Avenue, which was filed on September 17, 2021. As a result of the 124 housing units created through that development, the DHCD has certified Arlington's 2016 Housing Production Plan for one year, through September 16, 2022. View the DHCD notification letter approving the certification of the Housing Production Plan.

The Arlington Housing Plan was developed consistent with guidelines from DHCD. The HPIC and the DPCD worked with consultants Barrett Planning Group, LLC and Horsley Witten Group to facilitate development of the plan. The plan incorporates a vision and strategy for providing housing that serves a range of needs. It also will address diverse housing needs for a range of household and housing types, which includes housing for seniors and families. More information on this planning process, including upcoming events and the planning timeline, is available on the HPIC website.

• 2016 Housing Production Plan
• 2004 Housing Plan (Housing Needs & Strategy)
• 2001 Housing Policy Resolution

Fair Housing Action Plan

The Town of Arlington recently completed a Fair Housing Action Plan. The Plan addresses equitable access to housing choice in the Town of Arlington. Since 1968, all communities that receive funding from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are required by law to affirmatively further fair housing. The goal of fair housing efforts is to eliminate housing discrimination and residential segregation. This plan aims to advance these twin goals through analysis of existing fair housing conditions and recommended actions by the Town.

Although the requirement to complete a fair housing assessment as part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Final Rule was suspended in 2018, the Town completed the plan to ensure ongoing compliance with the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Final Rule. A new Rule is being discussed by the Biden Administration that includes the same required planning process with local actions to eliminate barriers and improve access to housing.

The Arlington Fair Housing Action Plan was developed from 2019 to 2021 by the Town of Arlington working with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and the Lawyers’ Committee on Civil Rights Under Law (LCCR). The plan was funded by the Town of Arlington through the Community Development Block Grant Program and through MAPC’s District Local Technical Assistance Program. In addition to data analysis, the planning team conducted interviews and focus groups with Arlington residents, Town staff and committee members, Housing Authority representatives, school officials, nonprofit organizations, and social service providers.

Download the Fair Housing Action Plan here.

Arlington’s zoning bylaw requires all new developments with six or more units to deed-restrict 15% of those units for affordable housing reserved to households earning low and moderate incomes. Not all affordable housing units will be for sale but for affordable homeownership opportunities that are available, purchase prices are typically around $200,000 with resale prices restricted. Purchasers are selected by lottery, and must attend a First-Time Homebuyer Course. Below are just a few resources to get you started.

First-Time Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Programs

The NSC is a group of municipalities (Arlington, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Revere, and Winthrop) that collectively apply for and administer federal HOME funds to be used towards affordable housing costs. Their DPA program is for income-eligible, first-time homebuyers and offers a 0% interest, 5 year deferred loan. Each anniversary date, 20% of the original DPA is forgiven; in 5 years, the loan is completely forgiven. For more information, please visit the HOME Program at www.cityofmalden.org/867/HOME-Program.

MassHousing offers Down Payment Assistance in the form of a second mortgage and offers different program options for repayment and may be accompanied with a MassHousing Mortgage Loan. For more information, please visit www.masshousing.com.

First-Time Homebuyer Courses and Counseling

There are many housing courses and counseling programs available. Below are several options consider:

• Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• MyMassHome – Homeownership Workshops
• CHAPA – Homebuyer Education Agencies

Affordable Housing Lending/Mortgage Programs

• Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP)
• MassHousing Mortgage Loan
• HUD Homeownership Assistance

The Housing Corporation of Arlington provides small grants to individuals facing an immediate crisis with their housing. It can pay back rent to prevent eviction, or security deposits to get someone into a new home. For more information contact the Housing Corporation of Arlington or call (781) 583-6147.

The State's Executive Office of Livable Communities (EOHLC) administers the RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition) Program to provide short-term emergency funding to help you with eviction, foreclosure, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. For more information visit Mass.Gov or call (877) 211-6277.

Somerville/Arlington Continuum of Care (CoC)

The Balance of State Continuum of Care (CoC) is the organization that coordinates housing and services funding for homeless individuals and families. All individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness in Arlington are encouraged to receive an assessment through the Coordinated Entry program. Any person with a tie to Arlington who is currently experiencing homelessness is eligible to complete an assessment. The assessment is offered on a walk-in basis Monday through Friday at the Somerville Homeless Coalition, One Davis Square, Somerville. Call (617) 623-6111 for more information.

To learn more about the CoC and resources available, visit the CoC website.

Other Assistance Programs

Visit Arlington's Health and Human Services.

Exploring an Affordable Housing Overlay in Arlington

On November 7, 2024, the Department of Planning and Community Development facilitated a public forum to discuss draft language for an Affordable Housing Overlay prepared by a citizen working group. 

Download the presentation slides.

View the recording here. 

Strategies for Creating More Affordable Housing

On October 17, 2024, the Affordable Housing Trust and DPCD staff hosted a virtual community engagement forum titled, Strategies for Creating More Affordable Housing. It was attended by more than 70 participants and included a panel discussion with experts from various fields in affordable housing development.

Download the presentation slides.

View the recording here.