Eagle Mill Awarded Low-income Housing Tax Credits

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LEE, Mass. — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $182 million in low-income housing tax credits and subsidies to 21 rental housing developments that will create or preserve 1,245 homes across Massachusetts.
 
This includes the Eagle Mill.
 
Currently in phase II, the new construction project adjacent to Eagle Mill Phase I is a mill conversion project now underway in Lee. 
 
The sponsor of both phases is a partnership between Hearthway and Jon Rudzinski of Rees-Larkin. When completed, Eagle Mill Phase II will offer 44 total units. Twenty-four units will be reserved for families earning less than 60 percent of AMI, with eight units further restricted for families earning less than 30 percent of AMI and, in some cases, transitioning from homelessness. 
 
In total, the administration has supported the creation of 6,071 affordable rental units since Governor Maura Healey took office in January 2023. 
 
These awards were made possible in part through the Affordable Homes Act and by Governor Healey's tax cuts package, which raised the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to $60 million annually, a $20 million increase that allows the state to support more affordable housing production.  
 
"Our administration is working on all fronts to build more reasonably-priced housing and lower costs for everyone," said Governor Healey. "These awards are creating thousands of apartments that people can actually afford. This is helping seniors age independently and close to their families and helping workers afford to live in the communities where their jobs are. Congratulations to the municipalities and developers who are receiving these well-deserved awards today."
 
These investments will leverage nearly $450 million in private equity, supporting urgently needed affordable housing in urban, suburban and rural communities. 
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Companion Corner: Fox at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a sweet and energetic dog at the Berkshire Humane Society waiting for his new family.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Fox is a 3-year-old Pomeranian who has been at the shelter for about a month.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Fox. 

"He's a bundle of joy. He would love a family who's home with him a lot, because he's just, he's very social and wants to be with his people a lot. And he would be fun to bring out and about, bring a lot of places, because he's very happy to go anywhere," she said.

When Fox enters the room he is immediately a puffball of energy that goes around and around the room.

He came to the shelter after his former owner could not take care of him anymore. 

"The owner was just not able to care for him anymore. Had he came in with another dog, Wolf, and she already did find her forever home just last week," said Olivieri. "The two of them were left with a friend of the original owner, and the owner did not come back to pick them up, and the friend had too many animals in the house, and too much going on, and she just couldn't continue to look after them, so they did end up coming to us."

Fox can go home with cats and children but is not recommended to go home with other dogs as he gets too excited.

"He would love a home where people are home quite a bit to give him all the attention that he so desires. He loves kids. He absolutely adores children. So he would like a home with kids to play with. He could live with cats. We are saying that he should not live with other dogs. The only reason is that he gets very humpy, and he does not leave the other dogs alone," she said.

With his energy it is recommended he goes to a home that can keep him active whether walks or hikes and even fetch in the yard.

Fox does need to learn more about walking on a leash and has a tendency to mark in the house but he was recently neutered. Olivieri said belly bands will be sent home with whoever adopts him to help prevent marking and managing it.

"He would like an active home. He really does like to go for walks daily. He likes to run around in the yard. He does need a little work on leash walking. He sometimes gets a little tangled still under your feet, and he's learning how to walk on a leash," she said. "So, someone who's got some patience and some time to work on some training with him."

"He also is not fully potty trained, so he does know to go potty outside. However, he will still mark, urinate in the house sometimes, and he might poop here and there in the house."

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