It takes a village to build a village, and the Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority was recently recognized with a Housing Hero Award from the Massachusetts Housing Partnership for doing just that.
The Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority was one of three organizations honored by the Boston-based housing nonprofit, which annually recognizes individuals, organizations and communities for their work to expand affordable housing.
The Franklin County organization was recognized alongside retired Judge Dina Fein for her leadership with Way Finders’ City of Homes Initiative in Springfield, and the city of Lynn for tackling its housing shortage. The awards ceremony was held in Worcester in June during the Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s 19th Housing Institute.
“This was a great honor,” said Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Gina Govoni, who accepted the award.
The Massachusetts Housing Partnership highlighted Govoni’s leadership with the housing authority as part of the award. Govoni joined the housing authority in 2019, and she started her career with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership. Under Govoni’s leadership, the Shelburne Housing Authority merged with the Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority — a first-of-its-kind effort that then-Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law in December 2022. This brought Highland Village, which the Shelburne Housing Authority had operated since 1977, under the regional housing authority’s management.
The merger, Govoni said, was done to “focus on the bigger picture” of boosting the expansion of public housing, reducing administrative redundancies and supporting residents.
Govoni pointed out some of the unique facets of the housing authority, which has been in operation since the 1970s. Govoni said it has a “truly regional” portfolio, with public housing projects across Franklin County, and new public housing units coming available soon. The organization also facilitates federal Community Development Block Grants and offers a Housing Consumer Education Center, which helps provide information and education on all types of housing.
The executive director also extended her appreciation to Rural Development Inc. and its staff for their support on housing projects across Franklin County. RDI is the nonprofit arm of the Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority, and the group has been supporting the development of affordable housing.
While progress has been made on housing in Franklin County over the years and resources have come to the region, Govoni said it’s been difficult to support housing in this rural part of the state. One of the challenges facing rural communities when it comes to housing development of any kind is the underground public infrastructure on which it is built.
Govoni also highlighted success with securing state funding for Evergreen Circle in Erving, which was awarded $2.42 million through the HousingWorks Infrastructure Program. This money will be used to extend Care Drive into a 470-foot-long, 50-foot-wide roadway with a cul-de-sac at the end, and extend the existing water and sewer systems with a new sewer pump station. The housing development will include 18 one-bedroom apartments for seniors ages 62 and older, and eight multigenerational units, each with two or three bedrooms that will be built behind the Senior & Community Center.
“They’ve been incredible, and really just gone outside of the traditional funding formulas and said, ‘We’re gonna try,’ and they did, and they were able to be successful,” Govoni said, referencing Erving town officials who have been involved in the project.
After factoring in the planned housing development in Erving that has not yet broken ground, and units that are in the works in Greenfield at 60 Wells St. and 176 Main St., Govoni said that within the next few years, 58 new units of affordable housing will be coming to Franklin County.
“It’s an honor to have such a diverse and dynamic organization here in Franklin County, and I think it’s pretty special,” Govoni said, “and that’s part of why we were given this award, because we’ve gone above and beyond to really bring resources here to Franklin County that might not have come here.”
