Affordable Housing Trust Fund

Funding & Opportunities

SAHT seeks one new member 
The Trust currently has a vacancy in a seat that is reserved for a member of a Somerville based non-profit whose primary mission is affordable housing. Please see the following notice for more information on the open seat and how to apply. 

• NOTICE: Join the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust
   

Homeownership Stabilization Program 
The City of Somerville, through an allocation from the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund, is beginning a Homeownership Stabilization Program Pilot. The Program will provide financial assistance to income eligible first-time homebuyers who have experienced an unanticipated increase in monthly housing payments. Information on the Program and an application are available for download below: 

• Homeownership Stablization Program Policies & Procedures
• Homeownership Stablization Program Application

FY25 Housing Assistance RFP
The Trust has allocated $400,000 of CPA funds for housing assistance programs, including rental assistance programs. Applications are due by 12:00 pm on Friday, October 18th. Please contact staff liaison Paul Goldstein (pgoldstein@somervillema.gov) with any questions regarding the RFP. 

• FY25 CPA Housing Program RFP Rental Assistance Application
• FY25 CPA Housing Program RFP Common Application
   

Early Action Funding Guidelines
The Early Action Acquisition Fund (the Fund) is a newly established funding source for the Trust. The Fund will provide loans for the acquisition of properties and sites for the purpose of developing affordable housing. For additional information, please contact staff liaison Paul Goldstein (pgoldstein@somervillema.gov) 

Past Funding Decisions

The SAHTF issues CPA funding RFPs annually. All past funding decisions are documented in the SAHTF's CPA Progress Reports which can be found on the forms and information tab.

For more information about the Community Preservation Act, visit www.somervillema.gov/CPA.
 

Members

• Andrea Shapiro, Managing Trustee 
• Cassie Walston, Assistant Managing Trustee
• Diane Cohen 
• Michael Feloney
• Donna Haynes
• Mary Cassesso
• Brielle Short
• David Gibbs
• Wilfred N. Mbah, Councilor

Mary Cassesso

A Trustee since 1989, Mary serves as a Somerville resident representative.

Mary Cassesso is the Chief Community Officer and President of the CHA (Cambridge Health Alliance) Foundation, which works to address the critical social determinants of health, including housing. She previously served as an Assistant Secretary of Administration and Finance in the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Other roles in which Mary has served include working in senior roles in the Commonwealth’s Housing division and for the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership and as Dean of Administration and Finance at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. She has an M.A. in Public Administration and a B.A. from Northeastern University, and is a lifelong Somerville resident.

Michael Feloney

A Trustee since 2014, Mike serves as the Mayor’s designee.

Mike Feloney is the Housing Director of the City of Somerville’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development. As Director of the Housing Division, Mike works with city departments and community, state and federal agencies to implement local housing policies and programs that increase production and support of affordable housing in Somerville. Mike has over 25 years’ experience managing housing and community development initiatives that include complex residential projects in the nonprofit, private and public sectors. He grew up in the Cambridge-Somerville area, and has a B.A. from Harvard College and a Master’s degree in City Planning from MIT.

Diane Cohen 

A Trustee since 2024, Diane serves in the seat reserved for the Executive Director of the Somerville Housing Authority. 

Donna Haynes

A Trustee since 2002, Donna serves as a representative from the banking and finance industry.

Donna Haynes has worked in financial services as a banker for almost 30 years, working for over 20 years in Somerville. She most recently worked as the Vice President and Community Reinvestment Officer for Central Cooperative Bank in Davis Square. She currently serves as Treasurer for the Massachusetts Community and Banking Council, as Treasurer for the YWCA Malden, and as a Board Director for the Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston.

Andrea Shapiro

A Trustee since 2004, Andrea serves as the Managing Trustee and as a housing and real estate specialist.

As founder and principal of Andrea Shapiro Consulting, Andrea consults with nonprofit and government clients on management and operational issues as well as affordable housing and community development strategies. Prior to founding Andrea Shapiro Consulting, Andrea served in senior level housing positions in both city and state government, following seven years at Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association. Andrea has an MBA from Boston University with a finance and real estate focus and an AB cum laude from Smith College. Andrea is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Second Chances, a nonprofit organization that provides free clothing to homeless and very low-income people in Cambridge and Somerville. She has lived in Somerville since 1994 and the Boston area her entire life.

Brielle Short

A Trustee since 2019, Brielle serves as a representative of a Somerville non-profit organization whose primary mission is affordable housing.

Brielle Short is the Supportive Housing Program Manager at the Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC). Brielle supervises daily operations of housing programs that provide supportive case management services to formerly homeless, disabled individuals and families. SHC's housing programs strive to provide the assistance and resources necessary to stabilize tenancy of clients and prevent them from returning to homelessness. Brielle actively engages with Somerville landlords in order to maintain and acquire units at an affordable rate, resulting in homeless individuals and families being able to be housed in their community.

David Gibbs

A Trustee since 2019, David serves as a representative of a Somerville non-profit organization whose primary mission is affordable housing.

David has been the Executive Director of  the Community Action Agency of Somerville since September 2014. David is an attorney with nearly 30 years of experience in the legal and nonprofit sectors. He earned a law degree from Boston University School of Law and did his undergraduate work at Princeton University and the Rhode Island School of Design. More recently he attended the Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership at the Boston University School of Management. David and his family live in Somerville.

Wilfred N. Mbah

A Trustee since 2024, Councilor Mbah serves as the designee of the President of the City Council. 

Cassie Walston 

A Trustee since 2023, Cassie serves as a representative who is a tenant in Somerville and whose household qualifies for federal or state housing programs. 
 

Meetings, Agendas, and Minutes

Forms & Information

Forms & Information

Project Mitigation Payments (Housing Linkage)

Somerville established and codified a housing linkage policy in 1990, amended it in 2013, 2017, 2019 and 2023. Linkage payments are made to the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund for the purpose of the creation of affordable rental and homeownership units in the City. As of May 10, 2023 linkage payments are generally applicable to all non-residential development in excess of 15,000 sq. ft. Projects with square footage between 15,000 sq. ft. and 30,000 sq. ft. pay half the rate listed below, any square footage in excess of 30,000 sq. ft. pays the full amount.

If you have questions about this policy, please contact:

Paul Goldstein 
Housing Programs Coordinator 
617-625-6600 ext. 2587
pgoldstein@somervillema.gov 

Click here to learn about the Jobs Linkage fee.