$100K state grant awarded to Waltham and Arlington to support public housing

By Crystal Lin, courtesy of Your Arlington 

The Arlington Housing Authority unanimously approved accepting a $100,000 annual state grant aimed to promote public housing in Arlington and Waltham. The vote at the Wednesday, June 18, meeting was 5-0. 

On June 4, the authority was selected to receive the grant from the state Self-Sufficiency Program. The funds support residents in state-aided family public housing and participants in the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program to gain financial stability. 

“We are honored to be able to bring this resource to our Menotomy Manor residents, the AHA’s MRVP voucher holders, and the family public housing residents of the Waltham Housing Authority,” said Jack Nagle, the executive director of AHA. The AHA plans to enroll about 35 participants to work with a self-sufficiency coach to set and complete goals around economic mobility, he said. 

The official release from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities stated that “the program is up to a three-year commitment for participants with the opportunity to renew for two additional years, one year at a time. One participant per household may enroll at a time. 

“Participants work with coaches to create an individualized goal plan containing up to three SMART [Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound] goals.” Further, as participants’ incomes increase and their rent goes up, they are able to escrow the increased amount of rent, up to $20,000.

Nagle said the AHA will be working with the Waltham authority to hire or contract a program coordinator who will provide enrollment, goal setting, coaching and other assistance “as the participants work toward greater financial independence by making improvements to their education or employment while addressing other potential barriers.”

The AHA submitted its joint application with Waltham for the program in March. The EOHLC has indicated that the funds will be available for fiscal year 2026, Nagle said. 

The Waltham Times contacted the Waltham Housing Authority on June 25 to ask whether further action is required by the city to activate the grant and when residents might expect the program to become available. There has been no response as of press time.