The St. Jean Baptiste site is currently comprised of four existing buildings, all of which are no longer used by the Archdiocese. They will be demolished for the two-phase construction of 38 units, 24 of which will be rentals. Also included in the rental development will be 2,300 sf of community space for tenant and supportive services.

"This project is a perfect example of the type of new housing we should create in our developed urban centers close to all the services that make possible a desirable quality of life," says Romney.

The state Department of Housing and Community Development provided a total of $4.2 million in financing for the project, including $800,000 from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and $1 million from the HOME program as well as federal low-income housing tax credits, which generated an estimated $2.4 million in private funds. Also, the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, a quasi-public state agency, is providing a $1.1 million long-term loan for the rental phase of the development. The City of Lynn also contributed more than $900,000 to the development.