Everyone needs a safe and stable home. When the rent or mortgage is too high, when the plumbing is broken or there are bugs or mold, it can affect every part of life. The stress of worrying about your home can impact mental health, physical health, performance at work, the ability to participate in your community, and it can cause life-long struggles for kids.
The typical 2-bedroom apartment in Arlington costs around $2,600 a month. To afford that apartment, you would need to earn at least $104,000 a year.
However, restaurant staff, Teaching Assistants, Delivery Drivers, Administrative Assistants, Home Health Aids and many others earn less than half of what is needed to afford the typical 2-bedroom in our town. Anyone earning minimum wage ($30,860 a year) faces an even greater hardship.
Families are struggling today — but HCA is making a difference.
We are creating new affordable homes, sustaining the 150 affordable units that we have already created, and we are helping local tenants develop their leadership skills to advocate for housing related issues within HCA and the community at large.
HCA is a nonprofit affordable housing developer. It all started a few decades ago, with the purchase of several two-family homes. Today HCA continues to create, own, and manages affordable housing throughout Arlington, for a range of household sizes and low incomes. HCA’s portfolio today totals 150 affordable apartments in Arlington. HCA staff work in partnership with our property management firm, Peabody Properties, to ensure these homes are safe and welcoming, and meet the requirements of the many lenders and subsidy funders.
We are always looking to create more beautiful, stable, affordable homes through renovation or new construction. If you have a tip on a property, contact Erica Schwarz: ESchwarz@housingcorparlington.org or 781-859-5294 x1.
If you are a tenant in HCA’s housing and want to join the tenant council leaders group (to help lead and facilitate the HCA Tenant Council): contact Luca Cassano: LCassano@housingcorparlington.org or 781-859-5294 x4
How to Apply for HCA’s Affordable Apartments
Eligibility for tenants is determined by household income. HCA tenants cannot earn more than 60% of the area median income (AMI). AMI is updated annually by HUD (US Department of Housing and Urban Development). Current household income limits are:
| 2023-2024 Income Limits at 60% of AMI (gross annual income, before taxes)
1 person household: $62,340 |
If you or somebody you know is interested in applying for an HCA apartment, please send a completed Affordable Housing Rental Application to:
Housing Corporation of Arlington
252 Massachusetts Avenue
Arlington, MA 02474
or email it to: Arlington@PeabodyProperties.com