Boston officials celebrated the opening of a 202-unit community with 140 apartments for people moving out of homelessness and 62 units for income-eligible families.

The Lyndia is named after Lyndia Downie, the longtime leader of Pine Street Inn, New England’s largest homeless services organization.
Gordon Grisinger The Lyndia is named after Lyndia Downie, the longtime leader of Pine Street Inn, New England’s largest homeless services organization.

Located in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood, The Lyndia is the largest permanent supportive housing (PSH) development in New England, according to developers Pine Street Inn and The Community Builders (TCB).

“With supportive services on-site and a strong community network, these new apartments provide a foundation for residents to rebuild their lives,” said Boston mayor Michelle Wu. “I am grateful to our partners and the community for making this vision a reality.”

Designed by RODE Architects, the building includes 21 units for mobility-impaired individuals and 18 units for sensory-impaired individuals, bolstering accessibility for residents.

Amenities include laundry facilities on each floor, social gathering spaces, a library, and high-speed internet.

The PSH development is named in honor of Lyndia Downie, who has dedicated her entire 40-year career to ending homelessness and is the longtime president and executive director of Pine Street, New England’s largest homeless services organization.

“The opening of this new building marks a milestone for Pine Street Inn, bringing our total to more than 1,000 units of housing—1,100 to be exact—for people moving out of homelessness,” said Downie.

Pine Street will provide wrap-around and supportive services to residents as they transition to permanent housing, including making connections to community resources like medical and mental health care, life skills, job training and jobs, or volunteer opportunities.

The 165,501-square foot building includes more than 13,000 square feet of community space and an additional 13,400 square feet of outdoor space for residents. “We leaned on our commitment to creating a sense of home and place, with hospitality-driven amenities that will transform the lives of community members who need them the most," said Eric Robinson, principal and co-founder of RODE Architects.
Gordon Grisinger The 165,501-square foot building includes more than 13,000 square feet of community space and an additional 13,400 square feet of outdoor space for residents. “We leaned on our commitment to creating a sense of home and place, with hospitality-driven amenities that will transform the lives of community members who need them the most," said Eric Robinson, principal and co-founder of RODE Architects.

Downie's organization partnered with TCB, a leading nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator.

“This grand opening is personal to me,” said Andy Waxman, senior vice president of real estate development at TCB, explaining that he’s lived in the neighborhood for years close to The Lyndia and another housing development with services. “I know it works, for residents and for a neighborhood. The partnership that brought this project to reality is a powerful combination—a permanent home, when paired with strong support services, provides a critical platform for personal growth, stability, and increased independence.”

TCB will connect residents in the 62 family units to opportunity and economic mobility through TCB Community Life coaching.

Funding for the $105 million development came from a mix of public and private sources: City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Housing; Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities; MassDevelopment; Bank of America; Barings; The HYM Investment Group; Community Economic Development Assistance Corp.; Boston Medical Center; Corporation for Supportive Housing; M&T Bank; and The Life Initiative.

Major philanthropic funding came from Bank of America; Liberty Mutual Insurance; Mass General Brigham; MassMutual; and Suffolk Cares.The Boston Housing Authority is providing 156 project-based vouchers to support affordability.