CPA Projects – Detailed Report

The Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC) operates a program to support formerly homeless, disabled households currently living in Arlington. The goals of the program are to ensure that members of this all too often disenfranchised and vulnerable population can remain safely housed in Arlington, stay close to their network of providers and daily supports, and continue to contribute to the diversity and vibrancy of the town. The project supports a wide range of households, including single mothers, independent young adults, and domestic violence victims. SHC receives a limited amount of federal dollars to rent units on the open private market.  Unfortunately, the amount of funding it receives from the federal government (e.g. HUD) is not sufficient to meet the high costs of the region’s rental market, including that in Arlington. As a result, SHC, as the master lease holder of these apartments, must secure alternative funding to pay the difference in rental costs between what SHC receives from HUD and the actual asking rent of each unit (i.e., “leasing differential”).  This project will allow SHC to continue to keep 29 apartments in Arlington and prevent individuals from falling back into homelessness. SHC has been renting some of these apartments in Arlington for nearly 19 years and has an established track record of supporting clientele that have become contributing members of the Arlington community.