Lowell Housing Trust Votes to Hear $500,000 Pucket Street Affordable Project Pitch

LOWELL -- November 19, 2025, Lowell's Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board voted to invite developer Bob Cox to its December 17 meeting to present a proposed residential treatment program with an affordable housing component at a building on Pucket Street near University Crossing, with a preliminary ask of approximately $500,000. CFO and board member Connor Baldwin brought the project forward on behalf of the city manager's office, telling the board it "seems consistent" with the trust's mission and the urgency of deploying its approximately $3 million in ARPA funds before a December 31, 2026, expenditure deadline. Board member Tai Cha cautioned that project timelines, from environmental review through contractor solicitation, can consume six to nine months, urging the board to act quickly. Assistant CFO Jessica Finaro clarified that for acquisitions, conversions, and buydowns, the date of the legal transaction satisfies the ARPA expenditure requirement, while the standard for new construction remains unsettled. The board also unanimously requested a formal written legal opinion from the city law department on how ARPA rules apply to affordable housing acquisitions, and reported that a separate $310,000 Community Preservation Act application is scheduled for a December 5 presentation.