Boston Council Hears Calls to Boost Anti-Displacement Housing Fund Beyond $90 Million

BOSTON — February 9, 2023 — Boston housing advocates urged the City Council to increase per-unit subsidies and establish a recurring funding stream for the city's Acquisition Opportunity Program, which has preserved 820 rental units since 2016. At a February 9 hearing of the Committee on Housing and Community Development, chaired by District 6 Councillor Kendra Lara and sponsored by at-large Councillor Ruthzee Louijeune, the city's Deputy Director for Neighborhood Housing Development, Jessica Boatwright, reported that the program has received $90.7 million in cumulative funding, with $65.4 million committed and $25.3 million remaining — against $12 million in active requests. Meredith Levy of Boston Neighborhood Community Land Trust told councillors that the current $125,000 per-unit AOP cap is "very low" in today's market, illustrating a $854,000 triple-decker acquisition that still left a $145,000 gap after AOP and loan financing. Dorchester resident Eric Boyd described surviving more than 20 court appearances over four and a half years to avoid his third displacement before Boston Neighborhood Community Land Trust acquired his building with AOP support for $9 million in a 36-property bulk deal.