Boston’s latest all-affordable senior housing proposal in Roslindale is moving into the federal funding phase, as City Hall signals it will tap U.S. HOME dollars to help build a six-story project at 4259 Washington Street.
The plan calls for a 100% affordable senior building with 41 one-bedroom, one-bath apartments stacked over ground-floor commercial space. City officials say an environmental review found no significant impact, and residents now have until July 10, 2026 to send in written comments on the project’s Environmental Review Record.
City Files Federal Funding Notice
In a notice published June 20, 2026, the Mayor’s Office of Housing said it intends to ask the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development “on or about July 9, 2026” to release federal HOME program funds and certified that a full Environmental Impact Statement under NEPA is not required.
The city is estimating roughly $4.85 million in HOME funding toward a total project cost of about $32.7 million. Officials say the Environmental Review Record can be provided electronically on request, as detailed by the City of Boston.
Project Details
The proposed building would total about 42,200 square feet of gross floor area, with a roughly 7,180-square-foot floorplate and a six-story height of about 69 feet.
Amenities for residents are slated to include a fitness center, a resident services office, laundry facilities, and a multipurpose room that opens onto a roof deck. Plans also show approximately 2,500 square feet of outdoor open space.
On the ground floor, the project is designed with about 4,250 square feet of commercial space and 21 bicycle parking spaces. The listed developer is B'Nai B'rith Community Development LLC, according to specifications on the Boston Planning & Development Agency project page from the BPDA.
Approvals And Neighborhood Reaction
The BPDA board signed off on the 41-unit proposal in December 2025, with coverage noting praise for its net-zero design and fully affordable senior focus.
Public meetings and filings show a mix of enthusiasm and unease. Neighbors have backed the idea of adding senior housing in Roslindale Square, while also pressing for answers on parking and stormwater management. A potential move by The Thrift Shop of Boston into the new ground-floor commercial space is still being discussed, as reported by the Jamaica Plain Gazette.
How To Comment Or Object
Residents who want to weigh in on the Environmental Review Record are being asked to email written comments to the Mayor’s Office of Housing Compliance Unit at [email protected]. All comments received by July 10, 2026 will be reviewed before the city authorizes submission of its request for release of funds.
HUD will accept formal objections to the release of funds for 15 days after the anticipated submission date. Any objections must comply with 24 CFR Part 58 and be emailed to [email protected]. The city also lists 617-635-0363 as a contact number for questions, as outlined by the City of Boston.
Why This Matters
Housing advocates point to the project as an early test case for how Boston’s Squares + Streets zoning and public subsidies can steer affordable, transit-accessible housing into neighborhood centers like Roslindale.
BPDA planning materials describe how the zoning overhaul increased allowable density in Roslindale Square. The federal HOME request also plugs into a broader round of housing awards unveiled in April 2026, which aim to create hundreds of income-restricted rental homes across the city. That puts the Roslindale proposal squarely inside a larger funding push for affordable housing, as reported by The Boston Sun alongside BPDA planning documents.
