Special to the Gazette
Rogerson Communities have announced that the City of Boston has awarded the organization $3 million in funding for its redevelopment project in Jamaica Plain.
The project, at the organization’s flagship memory care community Rogerson House, includes the creation of 41 new affordable independent living apartments in addition to 66 new memory care units to replace existing services on the campus. The new six-story building will also include space for the organization’s memory care social day program, a Fitness First center, and more than 20,000 square feet of outdoor space, including four garden areas.
“The new Rogerson House is an intentionally reimagined campus for the older adults of today and tomorrow,” said President and CEO Walter Ramos. “Combining compassionate memory care with sorely needed affordable housing is a powerful manifestation of the Rogerson mission on land we’ve called home for nearly 70 years. We’re incredibly grateful to the City of Boston for supporting this project.”
The redevelopment project is part of a larger effort Rogerson is undertaking to greatly increase its housing footprint in response to the senior care crisis. Studies have shown that there will be nearly two million Massachusetts residents over the age of 60 by the year 2030 and that more than half of them will lack the resources for the housing and care they’ll need.
“The need for more affordable housing has never been more dire,” Ramos continued.
The funding was part of a $52 million new funding round from the City of Boston to support the creation and preservation of affordable housing across Boston. The awards, administered through the Mayor’s Office of Housing, the Community Preservation Fund, and the Neighborhood Housing Trust, will support 13 developments in nine neighborhoods, resulting in 892 income-restricted rental homes, including 75 homes that will be set aside for families and individuals exiting homelessness.
“The City is using every possible tool to deliver stable, affordable housing for residents and families across our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Michelle Wu in a press release. “This funding will strengthen our communities, expand access to housing, and help ensure Boston remains a home for everyone. I’m grateful to the Neighborhood Housing Trust, the Community Preservation Committee and all of our partners as we work together to address the housing crisis and strengthen our communities.”
Rogerson House is located on three acres of land on the Jamaicaway, across from Jamaica Pond in the city’s Emerald Necklace.
Rogerson Communities provides affordable housing, memory care, independent living, and adult day health solutions for older adults in Massachusetts and has been a resource to the community since 1860. Today, we serve more than 2,000 older adults across 25 properties and programs, providing a diversity of individuals with greater independence and longevity.
Rogerson’s mission is to enhance the well-being of older adults by elevating housing, community, and care to address their needs as they age. Our goal is a world where every older adult feels valued and can age with dignity in their community. More information can be found at Rogerson.org.
The mission of the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) is to foster healthy, vibrant, and welcoming communities for all by ensuring stable, environmentally friendly, and accessible housing, as well as the sustainable use of land. The MOH achieves this through creating and preserving income-restricted housing, supporting residents in buying and maintaining their homes, and developing housing policies that promote access and long-term stability. It also works to prevent evictions, implement housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness, and make Boston’s housing stock healthy, resilient, and environmentally sustainable. For more information, please visit the MOH website.