Pittsfield Housing Trust Awards $860K in APRA Funds

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Affordable Housing Trust awarded more than $860,000 in ARPA monies to three projects it felt pushed the needle on the city's affordability and availability crisis.

With an end-of-year deadline, the trust recommended three projects for funding, and extra American Rescue Plan Act monies were allocated to fill the gaps. The panel was originally awarded $500,000 to disperse.

Director of Community Development Justine Dodds reported on Wednesday that the city ARPA team adopted the trust's funding decisions made last month.  

Berkshire Habitat for Humanity received its full request of $240,000 for six new housing units, Hearthway received about $363,000 for a rehabilitation project on existing housing, and the West Side Legends received over $258,000 for a modular home project.

"I think the city recognizes that housing, as we all know, is a huge priority and these are three good projects that could really make a difference in the city," Dodds said.

"So they fully supported that."

Next, she will work with the city solicitor to make a sub-recipient agreement and secure the projects with a 20-year affordable housing restriction. The extra APRA monies came from changing guidelines and timelines that left awarded projects unable to expend all of their funds.

She reported that the city felt the trust's process was fair, reasonable, open, and well-thought-out.

"I think this demonstrates the value of the Affordable Housing Trust itself," Trustee Michael McCarthy said. "We can act quickly without too many strings attached and use our good judgment accordingly."

Chair Betsy Sherman agreed, adding "All of us have worked really hard to get here, to make it happen, and to do it in a reasonable, meaningful way."

Habitat for Humanity will use the funding to acquire three vacant lots for building: one in the Westside, one in the Morningside, and one on the north end of the city. There will be a duplex with an accessory dwelling unit, a 3-4 bedroom single-family home, and two additional homes.

Taconic High School's vocational carpentry and electrical program will assist with one of the builds that will be for families at 65 percent of the area median income or lower.

Reportedly, the project team was concerned that they would not have it fully financed by the end of the year, which the APRA funds require.

Over the summer, the trust discovered that the $500,000 in ARPA funds had to be committed by the end of the year. It was previously believed that they had a couple more years to decide which housing projects would receive support.

The U.S. Department of Treasury has updated its guidance over the last couple of months, having a couple of effects on the trust's process. Some $500,000 was allocated from the city to the trust and there was somewhat of a memorandum of understanding between the two entities that was believed to comply with the 2026 deadline, Dodds said.

"We no longer feel that that is the case," she explained in August.

"So what I have been told is that it looks like the arrangement between the city and the Affordable Housing Trust isn't considered to be obligated under the Treasury guidance and this is really going to speed up our timeline. We have to have everything committed by the end of December."

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.