Ayanna Pressley, U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’s 7th Congressional District

“Safe, clean, and affordable housing is a human right.  Although the 7^th Congressional district is the Commonwealth’s most diverse district, it is also its most unequal district.  Affordable housing is fundamental to that disparity.  You, Allston Brighton CDC, have stood in the gap, and I thank you.”

Marty Walsh, Mayor of Boston

“Allston Brighton is one of Boston’s most diverse and vibrant neighborhoods, combining long-term residents and young people; commerce and green space; access to downtown with access to the river,” said Mayor Walsh. “For 40 years, Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation has been a leader in making Allston Brighton’s housing landscape affordable, safe, and accessible to all. They remain committed to increasing home ownership opportunities in the neighborhood and connecting residents with the resources needed to succeed. This commitment not only strengthens the neighborhood, but strengthens all of Boston.”

Kevin Honan, Massachusetts Representative, 18th Suffolk

“Allston Brighton is one of the most desirable places in the state to call home. With increased development and rising housing costs, affordable homeownership opportunities are critical to preserving the culture and diversity of our neighborhoods. The work that All Bright Homes does to raise levels of homeownership in Allston-Brighton is how we make homeownership more accessible for all. Buyers and sellers alike can contribute to our neighborhood’s legacy through the All Bright Homes program.”

Will Brownsberger, Massachusetts Senator, Second Suffolk and Middlesex

“I’m grateful for the work that the CDC does to creating housing opportunities that more people can afford.  Too much of the housing that is going up is luxury housing that only displaces neighborhood residents.”

Mike Moran, Massachusetts Representative, 18th Suffolk

“All Bright Homes is an essential neighborhood program because homeownership isn’t just about buying a home; it’s about people having the ability to stay in the communities where they want to live. Right now, too many residents are struggling to find and buy a family home in Allston/Brighton. They are competing with the flood of investor money. All Bright Homes is helping to tackle this problem. The program helps stabilize the community by making homes accessible to those who want to continue to make Allston/Brighton their home. All Bright Homes opens a door to homeownership for our neighbors – the people who make Allston/Brighton such a diverse, vibrant, and welcoming community.”

Liz Breadon, Boston City Councilor, District 9

“Allston Brighton is home to parks, playgrounds, world-class academic institutions, and people from all over the world.  The demand for housing in Allston-Brighton is among the highest in the entire city and is a vexing problem.  This is particularly true for those looking to purchase homes and become our permanent neighbors.  Allston Brighton CDC and its many housing programs, including All Bright Homes, provides front-line forces in the battle for affordable housing in general, and for homeownership in particular.”

One of our newest All Bright Homes projects at 59 Hopedale was sold to ABCDC from a longtime Allston Brighton resident, Joyce. When you talk to Joyce about Allston, you can immediately sense her love for the neighborhood. “It’s the kind of place that you love even after you leave.” The tight knit community of Lower Allston was an amazing home to Joyce and her family for over 26 years. She considers many of her neighbors to be her closest friends.  For her, the neighborhood was the best of Boston living:  a tight-knit community with parks and green space, and easy to downtown, Harvard Square, and major highways.

This past year, Joyce decided to sell her home through the All Bright Homes program to give one last gift to the neighborhood that treated her so well.  When the burden of owning a home became too much work, Joyce made the decision to downsize. When Joyce decided to relocate to another part of the country, she knew her 4+-bedroom home would be quickly seized by an investor who would either subdivide it into apartments, or simply rent it to multiple young people as a group home.  She did not want either of these things for her home or, more importantly, her neighbors.  One of the most important aspects of this program for Joyce is the legacy that she is leaving for the neighborhood. As more and more investors buy homes and turn them into cramped apartments, fewer people can afford to make Lower Allston their home for the long-term. Joyce wanted to make sure that whoever bought her home would actually live in the community.

Joyce has made an impact throughout her time in Lower Allston and her presence will benefit the community for years to come!

Cal Halvorsen and his husband Joshua Bogus had been renting in the Chestnut Hill area of Newton when they began searching for a home to buy.   When a condominium on Easton Street in Allston hit the market, it seemed perfect.   Cal is a professor at Boston College and Joshua works at Mass General Hospital, so the location met their needs.  More importantly, the neighborhood seemed right for them.  “We wanted to buy into a community,” Cal says.  “Allston is walkable, livable, medium-dense, and has access to the river.”  Although Cal and Joshua knew that the owner-occupancy deed restriction could limit them if they wanted or needed to relocate temporarily, the upside was greater.  In their three-unit building — all sold through the All Bright Homes program – they knew that their neighbors, like them, had long-term interests in the building and the community.  “We bought this house to live here, not as an investment,” Cal says.  “And it’s important that we can communicate with our neighbors who feel the same way as we do about our homes.”

When Jane McHale’s long-time neighbors sadly died, she and her husband Tim McHale, recommended that their neighbors’ children contact the Allston-Brighton CDC to discuss the All Bright Homes program before accepting any other offers on their parents’ two-family home.  The children did just that, and Jane says the result has had a “palpable” impact on the neighborhood.  When the All Bright Homes program purchased the home — a portion of which had rented out in recent years — it turned the duplex into two large condos.  Both homes have been purchased by different couples who have made friends with their neighbors and plan to raise their children on Litchfield Street.  “We share tools; we share stories; we share burgers,” says Jane.  “The world is different on our little piece of the block…because we’re all here to stay.”

Melanie and Paul Holzer knew – with their growing family – that it was time to leave their Haskell Street home.  After learning about the All Bright Homes program from a trusted neighbor, they decided to sell their home to Allston Brighton CDC primarily for the ease of the process.   “The process was delightful, quick and attentive,” Melanie says. “Time became more valuable to us as we thought through the options.” They did not have to make small repairs and didn’t have to endure multiple showings.  Another important factor for the Holzers was how their neighbors would react.  Before they bought their unit, it had long been an investor-owned rental that neighbors had complained about.  Now, they knew, they would leave their home to long-time residents who would become part of the neighborhood.  “It made us feel really good to tell our neighbors. We could give back and protect our little area,” Melanie says.

Lexie Gross had owned a home in the Fenway for 14 years when she and her growing family knew it was time to move.  Because both of Lexie’s children attend The German International School of Boston, and Lexie’s husband, Dr. Rinat Sergeev, is an affiliated scientist at Harvard Business School, it seemed that Allston would be their obvious next home.  They already knew several families in the neighborhood,  and the added benefit of living within walking distance of Rinat’s work and the children’s neighborhood school would create the perfect environment.  When their Haskell Street home came on the market through the All Bright Homes program, they jumped at the opportunity.  “Our neighbors are lovely,” Lexie says.  “Allston is perfect for us. Our family speaks several languages, and many of our neighbors also speak languages other than English.”  Lexie also says – without equivocation – that the owner-occupancy deed that her home now carries is fine with her and her family.  “We’ll never rent our house.  It works for us.”

When Priscilla Anderson’s long-time neighbor decided to move out-of-state, she was relieved to learn that the house would be sold through the All Bright Homes program for many reasons, not the least of which were stability, community, and legacy.  “Homeownership has been fundamental to the character of our North Allston neighborhood for generations,” Priscilla says.   “Our connections to the place and the community, and our interest in making and maintaining long-term relationships with neighbors are all related to the fact that we are deeply connected to our homes.”  Priscilla and her husband James Capobianco say they fully support the All Bright Homes program.  “Not only does it provide a way to stabilize our neighborhood against absentee landlords and transitory tenants, but it can also help stabilize the prices of houses in the neighborhood, which affects our taxes and affects who can afford to live here.”  Priscilla and James’s family now has a new neighbor who will build connections and relationships to the neighborhood.