HP support for Prospect Place-CJ1-14-22
January 14, 2022
Community Preservation Committee
210 Main St., c/o Planning & Sustainability
Northampton, MA 01060
Dear Community Preservation Committee,
I am writing on behalf of the Housing Partnership to let you know of our enthusiastic and unanimous
support for the affordable housing project, called Prospect Place, proposed by Valley CDC, to be
located at the former Northampton Nursing Home on Bridge Road.
As you know, the Housing Partnership researches and advocates for ways to make current housing more
affordable, and to support the development of new housing units. We desperately need many
additional, affordable housing units, so a development such as Prospect Place would make a welcome
dent in our lack of affordable housing.
Valley CDC is a longtime, very reputable and knowledgeable agency. Valley CDC has the respect of the
city and of community housing advocates, and has proven itself through development of such projects
as the Lumberyard and Sergeant House, to name just two. Between those two developments alone,
Northampton has increased its housing stock over the past several years by 86 affordable and low‐
income units.
The former Northampton Nursing Home on Bridge Road has been empty for a decade and has slipped
into decay, which has in turn invited vandalism. Valley CDC has found the structure to be quite sound,
and the interior well suited to complete renovation so that 60 low‐income and affordable 1, 2 and 3
bedroom accessible units can be developed. Its location is ideal: it is close to shopping, the hospital,
parks, the schools, the YMCA, the bike path, and the Survival Center, and is on a bus route.
This is a project that will take considerable funding to stabilize the building, remove asbestos, complete
a total gut renovation, allow for common areas both inside and outside, and repave the parking area.
The project will use existing utility connections, and the large, flat roof will be ideal for solar panels. All
utilities will be electric as is now required for new construction by the city.
The Housing Partnership enthusiastically supports the development of Prospect Place by Valley CDC. We
are excited about this project and look forward to its progress. We give our full support for its funding.
Sincerely,
Carmen Junno
Chair, Northampton Housing Partnership