On February 28th 2024, ABCDC and their many partners held a celebration and dedication event to mark the completion of construction at 6 Quint Avenue in Allston. The property, named The William (Bill) E. McGonagle Recovery House, was an existing Licensed Lodging House building that was renovated and converted into 15 units, 14 of which will be permanently affordable supportive housing units for extremely low-income individuals advancing through the addiction recovery process. The 15th unit will be reserved for an on-site service Recovery Resident Manager who will connect residents with the supportive services they require from various community-based organizations including the Charles River Community Health Center, the Addiction Treatment Centers of New England, Granada House, and Allston Brighton PAUSES.
“There are major gaps in the housing continuum for people in recovery. The opportunity to create this type of housing is critical and I’m proud that ABCDC was able to work with community partners to make this project a reality,” said John Woods, ABCDC’s Executive Director. “The 6 Quint Avenue Project represents a unique and important opportunity to create long-term, deeply affordable rental opportunities made available to individuals striving to rid themselves from the burden of substance abuse and to restore their independence in a supportive setting.”
An exciting aspect of The William (Bill) E. McGonagle Recovery House is the implementation of green technologies at the site. This renovation included switching from oil to electric heating, adding electric cooling, installing fresh air circulation systems, improving insulation, and installing a new high-efficiency domestic hot water system. This is directly in line with ABCDC’s pledge to sustainability and energy efficiency across its affordable housing portfolio to not only reduce our carbon footprint, but to create healthier living spaces for the residents who call our properties home.
“Housing development is inherently an environmental issue because of the amount of energy and resources that go into building and operating these properties,” said ABCDC’s Director of Real Estate, Caitlin Robillard. “Through the construction at 6 Quint, our team worked hard to not only reduce our carbon footprint, but to create a healthy home for these 14 residents.”
This property is named in the memory of Bill McGonagle (1951-2019) and for the appreciation of his tireless dedication to the goals of the recovery community and the creation and preservation of affordable housing throughout the City of Boston. Bill worked for the Boston Housing Authority for 40 years, leading the organization as its Administrator from 2009-2019.
Bill’s son Matt McGonagle spoke at the dedication of the property, remarking that “the Venn Diagram between my father’s support for recovery and my father’s support for public housing is just a circle.” Both Bill McGonagle’s memory and his dedication to his work will live on at 6 Quint, honoring him by continuing his efforts. Former Executive Director of ATCNE—and Lifelong Friend of Bill from South Boston—Tim Burke spoke highly of Bill, saying “Bill was a friend who never forgot his humble beginnings, he was just another kid from the projects who lived on O’Callahan Way, and recognized the devastation that substance abuse has caused in the community.”
This project was made possible by a number of funding sources, but a key component of the redevelopment plans for the site was the early award of 14 units of Project Based Section 8 Vouchers made available through the Boston Housing Authority (BHA). The City of Boston awarded ABCDC with $2 million to help purchase 6 Quint Ave in Allston from a private owner. Another $600,000 has been committed to the project by the Davis Company. The project also secured $2,000,000 of funding through the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC). Additional project funders include BlueHub Capital, Charlesbank Homes Foundation, and Housing Ministries of New England, MassHousing, Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) Low-Income Energy Affordability Network (LEAN), and Eastern Bank.
ABCDC would also like to thank our project partners Bald Hill Builders, The Narrow Gate, Maloney Properties, Tierney Development Services, Addiction Treatment Center of New England, Granada House, Judy Cohn Relocation Services, and Klein Hornig for all of their hard work and for helping to make this project a reality. We look forward to the opportunity to continue creating and preserving affordable housing opportunities across Allston and Brighton.
