ERVING — The town has applied for two state grants that, combined with a recent Town Meeting appropriation, would cover most of Erving’s portion of costs related to construction of the affordable senior and multi-generational housing project called Evergreen Circle at Care Drive.

The project is a combined effort to upgrade the infrastructure on Care Drive and build a total of 26 housing units on the street. The housing would be made up of 18 one-bedroom apartments for seniors ages 62 and older, and eight multigenerational units, each with two or three bedrooms.

The updated plans were discussed during an information session at the Erving Senior & Community Center on Tuesday that was led by members of the Senior Housing Committee, Rural Development Inc. (RDI) representatives, Town Administrator Bryan Smith, and representatives from Berkshire Design Group and Austin Design Cooperative.

“What we’re really trying to do is update everyone on all the work that both the town and RDI has been doing over the last year,” explained Alyssa Larose, real estate project manager and housing development director with RDI, a nonprofit created by the Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority.

Dual projects

Erving is responsible for the extension of Care Drive, along with water and sewer improvements, and providing Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) access. The town’s portion of work is estimated to cost $2.65 million. Meanwhile, RDI is focusing on the housing development.

The preliminary site plan shows the housing will be located to the west of the Senior & Community Center and the Erving Public Library, where a field and tree line exists now. Care Drive will extend into a 470-foot-long, 50-foot-wide roadway with a cul-de-sac at the end. Berkshire Design Group has run simulations of fire trucks successfully navigating this area.

Austin Design Cooperative’s Tom Chalmers presented the architectural plans. The multi-generational housing will feature two, four-unit townhouses with a combination of two- and three-bedroom units. The units range from 826 square feet for the one-story, two-bedroom unit to 1,257 square feet for a three-bedroom townhouse.

The senior housing site plan calls for a one-story building with 600-square-foot, one-bedroom units that are placed in one long corridor to promote social connection, with common areas and a screened-in porch. Both the senior and multi-generational housing will have in-unit washers and dryers, and on-site parking.

Retiring Erving Senior Center Director Paula Betters asked about accessibility for those going to the Senior Center, as the site plan reduces parking space at the building. She inquired about the possibility of expanding parking.

Berkshire Design Group Principal and Landscape Architect Rachel Loeffler explained some of the site logistics that would limit parking lot expansion on the right side of the Senior Center, and Smith noted that for larger events, using the Erving Elementary School parking lot could be an option.

Loeffler also explained there would be 18 parking spaces for the 18 senior housing units next to the building and 15 parking spaces for the multi-generational housing, but no designated visitor parking. Smith clarified that there is generous space in the roadway design and street parking could be an option.

Funding

Senior Housing Committee Chair and Selectboard member William Bembury explained that last month the committee, in conjunction with the Selectboard, Smith and Town Planner Glenn Johnson-Mussad, applied for a $2.24 million Community One Stop for Growth grant that, when coupled with last month’s Town Meeting appropriation, could cover the bulk of Erving’s portion of expenses. On June 25, Erving voters authorized the town to amend the use of $226,500 for a water line extension on Care Drive. The funds will also be used for sewer improvements.

Smith mentioned the town also worked with RDI on applying for a Massachusetts Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program grant, which he expects the town will hear back about later this summer. Recipients of Community One Stop for Growth funding are expected to be announced in the fall.

If funding for the Care Drive work is secured, and the design and engineering work is completed throughout the winter of 2025 and spring of 2026, bids for construction could be out as early as June 2026.

RDI is looking at a $20.15 million price tag on the housing development. The bulk of the funding is expected to come from federal and state tax credits estimated at $13.23 million, $4.01 million from the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, and other grants and incentives.

Over the last year, RDI has completed the schematic architectural designs, as well as pre-permitting requirements and funding applications. RDI already received $227,553 in predevelopment funding from the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) in November 2024. If the goals for financing and permitting continue on course over the next two years, construction for housing could start in early 2027, with leases available for renters by 2028.

The leases for senior and multi-generational families will use the county’s area median income and combined household income to assess rent costs based on U.S. Housing and Urban Development maximum income limits, which are subject to change between now and 2028.

“The town and RDI received a lot of positive feedback on this proposal,” Smith said of a January luncheon with state officials and funding agencies. “I don’t want to get overly optimistic, but I think we’re feeling pretty confident that we are in a good place to receive the funding that we need to push this project forward.”

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.