Berkshire Housing Development Corporation

Berkshire Housing Development Corporation (BHDC) was established in 1971 as a non-profit corporation by a group of community and business leaders who were concerned about the shortage of affordable housing in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. They believed that an adequate supply of housing for all income groups was essential to the economic well being of the County and that a private but public-oriented organization could play an important role by utilizing available government housing programs. The founders sold $255,000 of bonds and an organization was started that has produced more than 2,000 new and rehabilitated housing units in Berkshire County over the last 45 years and carried out a wide variety of community and economic development projects.

Housing – Berkshire Housing has developed 22 rental apartment complexes including the conversion of three former school buildings, two hotels, a former nursing home and a YMCA building. The projects have been designed to meet the needs of a broad range of residents and have involved a variety of federal, state and private financing. Utilizing the HUD 202 program Berkshire Housing has constructed 5 low-income elderly projects. The Low Income Housing Tax Credit program has been used to fund five affordable multifamily projects containing 313 units. The Redfield House, a supportive housing project for young mothers and Keenan House, a treatment facility and apartments for a local substance abuse agency were funded with state, federal and private funding. Others include the creation of 44 studio apartments on the upper floors of the Pittsfield YMCA for low-income single adults and the development of 70 congregate beds and studio apartments for homeless veterans. The organization has also developed the Pines, a 41 unit condominium where one-third of the units were reserved for first time homebuyers, a subdivision of single-family homes and the purchase of 30 HUD-foreclosed properties that were renovated and sold to first-time homebuyers. Its largest project was the co-development of Kimball Farms, a 150-unit life care retirement community

Berkshire Housing Services, Inc. (BHSI) was established in 1971 as a professional management company to manage government-assisted housing projects developed by its parent corporation, Berkshire Housing Development Corporation. The Company’s mission was to insure the long-term physical and financial viability of these properties and to provide the residents with decent and safe housing, promoting a high quality of life.