BROOKLINE, MA – Congressman Joe Kennedy, III, together with state and municipal officials, joined 2Life Communities and Congregation Kehillath Israel at the official groundbreaking for the 2Life’s first building in Brookline, which will create 62 units of affordable housing for older adults.
Called the Harold and Ronald Brown Family House, the building will be located at 370 Harvard Street, and will be physically and programmatically connected with Congregation Kehillath Israel.
“Our older neighbors have lived what many of us have only learned. When the Brown Family House opens its doors, nearly 100 residents will be able to live independently without ever feeling alone. Breaking this ground today is just the beginning of a community that will receive the support, resources and affordable housing that they have earned after spending decades building this country,” said Congressman Kennedy, a longtime ally of the 2Life.
“Our aging in community model makes it possible for older adults to live full lives of connection and purpose, and we couldn’t be happier to bring that to Brookline. Coolidge Corner has been called the best neighborhood for older adults, and we’re thrilled to build here with our partners at Congregation Kehillath Israel, and to offer programs to the wider community in partnership with the Brookline Senior Center. The Town has been an amazing partner in supporting our focus on affordability, and thus all 62 units will offer the chance to age affordably and live well,” said Amy Schectman, President and CEO of 2Life Communities.
Joining Congressman Kennedy and Amy Schectman at the groundbreaking were Deborah Goldberg, Massachusetts State Treasurer; Bernard Greene, Chair, Brookline Select Board; Chrystal Kornegay, Executive Director, MassHousing; Kate Racer, DHCD; Tommy Vitola, State Representative; Ronald Brown; Rabbi William Hamilton, Congregation Kehillath Israel; and Gene Clerkin, Senior Vice President, Citizens Bank.
2Life Communities is partnering with Congregation Kehillath Israel to foster a multi-generational community that addresses the issues of social isolation and housing affordability. Located on the Kehillath Israel campus at 370 Harvard Street in Brookline, the state-of-the-art sustainable building will include 62 affordable rental apartments for people 62 years of age or better with a range of incomes, vibrant common spaces, 1,000 sf of ground-floor commercial space for community-oriented retail, a new public pocket park on Harvard Street, and a private landscaped courtyard. Along with a variety of campus partners, we will offer social, wellness, and educational programming to the wider community, welcoming people of all ages and backgrounds.
The development of the Brown Family House has been generously supported by: Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Town of Brookline, WestMetro HOME Consortium, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), MassHousing, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), RBC Capital Markets, Citizens Bank, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Brookline Bank, and Irma M. Schretter.
2Life Communities, a nonprofit organization founded in 1965, operates on the belief that all seniors should have the opportunity to live a full life of connection and purpose in a dynamic, supportive environment – a model we call aging in community, which directly combats the growing public health crisis of social isolation and loneliness amongst older adults. At 2Life Communities, residents can step out the doors of their own apartments and find friendship, community, physical and intellectual stimulation, and a helping hand day or night. Serving a diverse population of over 1,600 older adults, 2Life creates communities with a laser sharp focus on affordability – a tremendous concern given that Massachusetts is the state with the 2nd largest gap in the U.S. between seniors’ median income and the cost of living.
