Gov. Patrick Announces $73M For Affordable Housing

Gov. Deval Patrick says the state is committing $73 million to build or preserve affordable housing in Massachusetts.

Under the plan, a total of two dozen projects in 17 Massachusetts communities would add or save more than 1,100 affordable housing units, creating nearly 2,000 construction jobs in the process.

Patrick announced the plan on Thursday at the Putnam Square Apartments in Cambridge, where 94 units of elderly housing will be maintained with the help of $2.8 million in subsidies and federal low-income housing tax credits.

The governor said maintaining a supply of affordable housing helps create growth and opportunities in communities around the state.

"Government's role is to help people help themselves, and sustainable affordable housing will create growth and opportunity in our communities that will last for generations to come," Patrick said in a statement.

In addition to Cambridge, the plan would provide resources for projects in Boston, Brockton, Brookline, Chelmsford, Chelsea, Dennis, Gardner, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Medfield, Quincy, Springfield, Westfield, Williamstown and Worcester.Patrick on Thursday also signed a bill that authorizes the state to borrow up to $1.4 billion over the next five years for affordable housing.