Chelsea Neighborhood Housing Services

CONTACT:

162 Shawmut St.
Chelsea, MA 02150
617-889-1375

Ann Houston, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

CHNS was founded in 1979 by Chelsea residents, city officials, and local lending institutions, to revitalize declining or down-and-out neighborhoods through home repair loans — another partnership between philanthropy and government. Today it is a "full service" community development corporation. What does this mean? What it really means for real people is that CHNS is a problem-solver on behalf of the community, enhancing individuals' and families' quality-of-life in ways that also strengthen the Chelsea community. One example: an elderly homeowner's pipes froze and she didn't think she could afford a plumber. For two years she carried gallon jugs of water into her home, and stayed at her daughter's on weekends. Her plight was discovered by a human services agency, brought to CNHS, and they restored running water to her home, put together a loan package that renovated three apartments in her building, found reliable tenants for those units, and managed the property so that the owner's monthly occupancy costs are below $200 and she has more income to live on. In over 20 years, CNHS has renovated more than 125 units, provided over 250 loans to "unbankable" borrowers, and managed more than 110 affordable rental units for low- and moderate-income tenants. With your support as a new donor, it could do much more. Check it out.

(2002: HUMAN SERVICES: Well-Being)