Proposal to Build Affordable Housing in Somerville Wins Affordable Housing Competition

A proposal to create 99 units of affordable community-controlled rental housing on the site of a former autobody shop in Somerville, Massachusetts, won first place in the 26th Annual Affordable Housing Development Competition.

More About the Annual Affordable Housing Development Competition

The 2026 competition drew seven entries from groups of graduate students interested in architecture, real estate, planning, finance, and policy who teamed up with local affordable housing organizations.

The winning proposal, Gilman Junction, was submitted by a student team from Harvard University and MIT in collaboration with Just A Start and Somerville Community Land Trust, ICON Architecture, and finance mentor David Aiken.

The mixed-use initiative aims to create a 12-story building with Passive House design standards for sustainability and low environmental impact, an onsite bike shop and café, and indoor and outdoor community spaces. The site in Somerville's Central Hill neighborhood is near a multiuse paved community path, schools, parks, and public transportation.

"In a city where families and longtime residents are rapidly being priced out, Gilman Junction will be a beacon of housing and security," according to the submitted proposal.

The winning team was awarded the $10,000 first-place prize.

"The housing competition is an opportunity for students to showcase their skills and creativity gaining real-world experience by collaborating with professionals in housing development, finance, and design. This year's submissions included comprehensive proposals for rental and homeownership units for families, seniors, and workers in urban and suburban locations," said Kenneth Willis, senior vice president, director of housing and community investment at Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (FHLBank Boston). "Congratulations to the students and mentors for proposing solutions to affordable housing challenges in our communities."

The competition is sponsored each year by FHLBank Boston, Boston Society for Architecture, CohnReznick, Kuehn Charitable Foundation, ICON Architecture Inc., and Citizens' Housing and Planning Association.

The competition was judged by:

• Ali Abdullah, Beacon Bank
• Lauren Baumann, Massachusetts Housing Partnership
• David Eisen, Abacus Architects + Planners
• Peter Freeman, Moriarity Bielan & Malloy LLC
• Tyler Norod, Westbrook Development Corporation
• Judy O'Connor, Chelmsford Housing Authority board of Commissioners
• Wandy Pascoal, Boston Society for Architecture
• Lionel Romain, Romain & Associates

Awards were also presented for:

• Second place: Re-Court Alfred Homes aims to transform the historic York County Courthouse in Alfred, Maine into 30 units of affordable housing for aging residents. The project team included students from Clark University and Harvard University who collaborated with Sanford Housing Authority.
• Third place: Rooted Commons proposes to use the site of the Hartford Street Presbyterian Church in Natick, Massachusetts, to construct 41 affordable housing units. The proposal was submitted by students from Clark University, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, and Wentworth Institute of Technology in collaboration with Metro West Collaborative Development.