WATCH builds, owns and manages affordable housing.  To date, we have completed renovation and new construction of rental and ownership housing in Waltham and in Belmont.

Why Affordable Housing?

The need for affordable housing in Waltham (and in all of our neighboring communities) is great. According to the City's 2007 Community Development Plan, 46% of households in Waltham make less than 80% of the area median income and thereby are eligible for affordable housing. That is 10,566 households! Yet in 2005, the median sales price of single-family homes sold in Waltham was $427,500, requiring an income of nearly $111,000, more than the combined starting salaries of two typical City employees. Additionally, over 5,000 households are on the Housing Authority waiting list for public rental housing. Clearly there is a great need for more affordable housing to meet the needs of current Waltham residents. There are no other developers looking to address this segment of the Waltham real estate market, so WATCH is filling an essential niche in providing housing choice for Waltham residents.

What is Affordable Housing?

Housing is considered to be affordable if its total costs (rent or mortgage, plus utilities, taxes, insurance, etc.) are no more than 30% of a household's gross income.  Typically, the phrase "affordable housing" means any housing where the total housing costs are affordable (cost no more than 30% of income) for a family no more than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).  Currently in greater Boston, 80% of AMI for a family of 4 is $66,150. This family of four cannot afford to spend more than $1,654 per month on housing.  The 80% figure is just an upper limit, though. Many families in Waltham earn much less than this and have much less to spend on housing.

The phrase 'Affordable Housing' is often used when referring to any of 4 basic types of housing:

1) Private, subsidized affordable housing is privately developed, owned and operated, and is often created by a private non-profit organization that has a mission to provide affordable housing, like WATCH. Creating affordable housing in this way generally requires a combination of government funding, grants and low interest loans to bridge the gap between the high costs of creating quality housing and the rent or mortgage the families that will eventually live there can afford. Because these developments, especially those created by non-profits, often require a great deal of local support, this form of affordable housing is often called "community controlled" housing. Decisions at such a property are driven by people's need for housing and not by a profit-maximizing bottom line. Such properties are deed restricted to keeps rents affordable for the long-term.

Some privately developed affordable housing is created by for profit companies, often as part of a mandated program to create affordable housing. When a for-profit company creates affordable housing, it usually receives some benefit in return, such as zoning relief, increased density or subsidy funds.

2) Public housing, home to about 1.3 million families nationwide, is owned by the federal or state government and managed by local Housing Authorities who report to HUD.  To apply, families must have incomes at or below 50% of the area median income (AMI).  Rents are set at 30% of a family's income.  The Waltham Housing Authority is responsible for 810 units of public housing for families and seniors in Waltham.  Most of the affordable housing built in the United States prior to the 1970’s was public housing, however, since 1978 very little public housing has been built.

3) Section 8, a federal program that is also managed by the local Housing Authority.  Low-income families pay 30% of their income in rent to their private landlord, and the federal government pays the balance to the landlord, up to a set limit. Massachusetts also runs a program similar to the federal one called MRVP, Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program.

4) Private, unsubsidized housing is housing owned by a landlord who charges moderate rents, while still earning a fair profit on his/her investment.  Places like this often permanently lose their affordability when the landlord decides to significantly increase rents, sell the property or convert to condos.  There are also no quality controls, so if a landlord does not keep up their property, the rents may be affordable, but the conditions of the apartment may not meet common expectations of decency.

What can I do about it?

WATCH addresses the housing crisis on many fronts: We build affordable housing, educate the community about the issue and support concerned residents in organizing and taking action for policies or developments that would create more affordable housing. You can join one of a few committees to focus on these various approaches. To learn more, visit the relevant pages on this site or contact WATCH's Community Organizer Anne Schweitzer at 781-891-6689 x206 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .