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Hope House
Fall River, Massachusetts

Hope House provides outdoor space for its disabled residents.

Fall River is a city of over 90,000 in southeastern Massachusetts, some 50 miles from Boston. In the early 1990s, medical and service providers found that there was a lack of housing facilities for low-income persons who were disabled as a result of AIDS but did not require acute medical care. To prevent them from becoming homeless, some patients had been referred to facilities in Boston. At the same time, in its first Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy, the city identified the need for affordable housing for special needs populations, including persons with AIDS, as its highest priority.

After considerable investigation and evaluation, a task force of medical personnel and other service providers determined that a congregate housing facility would best meet the needs of this population. An existing structure on the grounds of St. Anne's Hospital was identified as an appropriate site. The hospital donated the building, but it needed substantial rehabilitation and some expansion to accommodate 10 supportive housing units as well as congregate kitchen, dining, and recreation facilities.

Development of Hope House began in 1992. In addition to the renovation and reconfiguration of the existing 3,000-square-foot building and construction of an additional 2,000 square feet, the process included resolution of a zoning ordinance that would have prohibited a group residence for more than five persons and the assembly of a complex financing package.

A HOME-funded, deferred-payment loan of $216,000 from the city of Fall River provided the lion's share of the total development budget of $633,889. Other funding came from the Massachusetts Housing Innovation Fund, the Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program, and several local groups and private corporations. A portion of the construction financing was provided by a local bank.

Those involved in developing the project recognized that additional funding would be needed for support services to fully meet the needs of residents. Although not requiring acute medical care, residents would need an array of services, including counseling, transportation, and recreational programming. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health provided a $1,000,000 grant to the project ($200,000 a year for five years) for these services. St. Anne's Hospital provides a project director and pays administrative costs for the project. The hospital has also developed an extensive volunteer network that performs a variety of services.

Because Hope House was designed to serve low-income persons disabled by AIDS or persons whose incomes have declined as a result of their disability, rental assistance was needed to make the project feasible. A Shelter Plus Care rental assistance grant was obtained from HUD that provides $390,000 in assistance over 10 years. After that, the city and the hospital have made a commitment to ensure that the project remains affordable to low-income residents.

Since it opened in September 1994, Hope House has provided a supportive living environment to some 16 residents. The facility was designed with input from persons with HIV and AIDS and provides high-quality housing and supportive services to its residents. The development and operation of this project required the cooperative efforts of many different segments of the community and filled a critical gap in the housing options available to low-income persons in the Fall River area.

Contact: Paul Poulos, Fall River Community Development Agency, 508/679-0131

Copyright 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000
Affordable Housing and HOME
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)
630 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3736
Telephone: (202) 289-3500
Fax: (202) 289-4949