The Ashford Street Lodging House is a Single Room Occupancy (SRO) building that was originally built in 1899. This Victorian-style single family home on Ashford Street in Allston has been converted into12-units of housing. The property was purchased by ABCDC in 1992 and originally opened to house individuals impacted by the AIDS crisis. ABCDC now provides individuals with disabilities and formerly unhoused individuals with safe, permanent, and deeply affordable housing. Eight of the units are targeted for formerly unhoused individuals, of which five are individuals with disabilities referred to by the Department of Mental Health.
In recognition of the vulnerable population of residents that currently reside in the Ashford Street Lodging House, ABCDC’s Resident Services Staff along with the staff of Maloney Properties help to ensure that crucial State-funded DMH-sponsored supportive services are connected as appropriate to the residents living at the property. ABCDC has learned that the continuation of supportive services often requires that ABCDC staff must advocate on behalf of their residents who are having difficulty maintaining their tenancies. In 2022, ABCDC executed a memorandum of understanding with the staff of Vinfen to assist on an as-needed basis in coordinating case management activities among the individuals living at the site. As needed, Vinfen’s Licensed Clinical Staff work directly with ABCDC’s Resident Services Manager to identify gaps in the individual service needs of current residents and help to ensure that they have access to appropriate care.
ABCDC staff are currently planning a rehab at the site which will be considered a Deep Energy Retrofit (DER). Planned improvements will include a new roof, adding fresh air ventilation systems, all new electric heat pumps to provide heating and cooling, and additional insulation. This decarbonization project will reduce energy usage by at least 50%. This project will also address the safety and well-being of current and future residents of these 12 units of affordable housing by making much-needed repairs and upgrades!
