Fairlawn Estates, a large rental housing development in Mattapan, has been purchased by a Boston company that plans to keep all of its 347 units “affordable” with the help of a $10 million grant from the city of Boston. The acquisition was announced during a press conference at the complex off of Cummins Highway on Monday morning.

The new owner is Related Beal, who has agreed to buy out the ownership stake in the apartment village from DSF Group for $90 million, in addition to the city’s $10 million, according to Boston housing officials familiar with the deal, which closed last Friday. DSF would completely exit its ownership position in the property.

The sale is hailed as good news for tenants, who have raised alarms about rental increases and eviction proceedings by DSF since 2018.

Above, Mayor Wu spoke at an event at Fairlawn Estates in Mattapan on Monday, March 10. Seth Daniel photo

Boston’s Housing Chief Sheila Dillon said: “The long-term affordability on this number of units is wonderful, especially along an area where there is new rapid transit and gentrification pressures.”

Existing residents who have been fighting back evictions and rent increases for several years – including holding several vigils and rallies – said the acquisition brought peace of mind.

“The constant stress of facing huge rent increases and eviction weighed on us every day over the past six years, and it wasn’t right – but we want people to know that housing is a human right, and we can win the homes we deserve,” said Betty Lewis, of the Fairlawn Tenants Association. “This is a community victory won by neighbors working together, and it’s not just for us: we hope it inspires organizing for housing stability all across Boston and across the state.”

Dillon said the city also provided a $900,000 loan from the Boston Acquisition Fund for renovations, with the commitment from Related Beal to commence $7 million worth of upgrades to the property, including roofs, balconies, and appliances.

“We heard in early November [that] DSF had selected Related Beal’s affordable arm out of a sales process and so we made the $10 million commitment of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds in December,” said Adam Goldstein of the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH). “We’ve been working with them ever since…Our $10 million commitment leveraged about nine times that in private market financing.”

Mayor Michelle Wu said the community has organized towards this goal for years.

“Today’s acquisition is a major step toward protecting our communities and preventing displacement in Mattapan,” she said. “By securing these homes as permanently affordable, (we are) ensuring that families can continue to live and thrive in their neighborhood without the fear of being priced out."

Fairlawn had been an affordable option for tenants for decades with market rate rents remaining low for years. But after a new commuter rail stop opened across the street, it became a pressure point in the gentrification and rent increase battle after it sold to DSF in 2018 and was renamed “SoMa at the T.”

Long-time tenants have organized protests against large rent increases and one tenant, Annie Gordon, 75, fought her eviction case for “unwarranted conduct” in Housing Court. Gordon won her case last November after a jury trial in the Eastern Division of the Housing Court.

Dillon said the deal began last summer when they heard DSF Group might be interested in selling Fairlawn, and at the same time Mayor Wu had just started a program with significant money from ARPA to purchase and preserve affordable housing.

“We thought that would induce them to take action because ARPA dollars had to be spent quickly – by December,” said Dillon. “We talked with them and said if they wanted our help, they had to move quickly.”

After that meeting in September, DSF put the property on the market with the stipulations of it being in the city’s program, and eventually chose Related Beal for the opportunity.

“Affordable housing is core to Related’s DNA, and we are thrilled to provide a more sustainable living solution in such an important, transit-oriented location in Mattapan,” said Kimberly Sherman Stamler, president of Related Beal.

Goldstein said 174 units will remain affordable at 60 percent AMI, and 173 units will remain affordable at 80 percent AMI.
“That’s the structure from here on out,” he said. “If someone moves out next week, the next person coming in would have to qualify under income restrictions at those rates.”

There are also special protections for existing tenants who might be above those income levels, so that no one gets kicked out of their home because of the changes, he said. Those existing tenants will have their rent increased by 2 percent every year for as long as they want to stay at Fairlawn.

“The program we’re using is an anti-displacement program, so our intention is to make sure the existing folks aren’t displaced either,” Goldstein said.

The final piece of the deal is to wipe the slate clean for existing tenants who are fighting eviction cases in court with DSF. Dillon said Related Beal isn’t likely to continue those cases brought for non-payment of rent.

“We know there are active eviction cases…and Related Beal is very anxious to work with residents and to reduce as many of those cases as possible,” she said. “We are hopeful as a city these situations will get worked out with the owner and residents can finally relax and enjoy life again in their homes. They will be paying what they can afford, and they won’t have an owner pursuing eviction cases against them.”

Added Gabrielle Rene, City Life’s Mattapan organizer, “Mattapan and all of our communities deserve to have both public transit and stable, affordable housing: we shouldn’t have to choose.”

According to the SoMa Apartments website, apartments range in price, with a two-bedroom, one bath, 805 sq. ft. unit going for around $2,650 a month.

Fairlawn/SoMa Apartments consists of a single-story leasing office/maintenance shop and 12 four-story apartment buildings completed between 1965 and 1968 by the Flatley Companies. The unit mix comprises 14 studios, 143 one-bedroom apartments, 75 two-bedroom/one bath apartments, and 115 two-bedroom/one & a half bath apartments with an average unit size of 829 square feet.