Case:

The Community Builders

Nurturing community stability through affordable housing in Downtown Worcester

Located in the heart of Massachusetts, Worcester is undergoing a period of growth and renewal, with major investments in its downtown core. Its vision is to be the country's most vibrant and livable mid-size city — yet recent migration from Boston and elsewhere has led to rising housing costs and the risk of families being left behind. This is especially true downtown, where rents have skyrocketed in recent years, causing high population turnover. There is a critical need for safe and affordable housing in communities here and across the United States.

Project Overview

For entire neighborhoods to thrive, housing must exist alongside supportive services for residents. The Community Builders (TCB) is a non-profit affordable housing developer that has been offering this whole community approach to housing for sixty years. They came to EDDIT to work on building sustained support from local and state agencies and politicians, with a focus on their Plumley Village site in Worcester, a 400-unit complex they have operated since the 1980s and which is currently undergoing a US $150 million rehabilitation. They also sought greater involvement and alignment with Worcester’s downtown planning process, reflecting the significant role the organization and its residents play in the city’s downtown.

The advantage of more support for housing and other resident services comes from how these can bring stability, both for residents in affordable housing and for communities as a whole. Predictable schooling, access to healthy food and green spaces, and stable housing leads to better educational, economic, and quality of life outcomes for individuals, families, and cities. This in turn allows whole neighborhoods to transform and thrive over time. This is the impact TCB seeks for its communities across the country.

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Data Insights

The team uses historic images and new maps to show the legacy of urban renewal and freeway construction on Worcester’s downtown, and how these areas have become spaces for potential new investment today. The data work featured above surveys existing land use and amenities downtown, and highlights the abundance of opportunities for investing in public land or underused parcels to provide open space improvements, access to fresh food, and educational services near existing residents.

With 50% of all downtown residents and 90% of the downtown’s youth population living on site, Plumley Village and its residents are central to achieving the city’s vision. Any investments or changes to downtown will also have a significant effect upon quality of life outcomes for the Plumley Village population.

With an equitable downtown master plan in the works, bold action to make the most of public lands, and sustained financial support from both TCB and public agencies, Plumley Village and the City of Worcester have a bright future ahead.

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