The Assabet Regional Housing Consortium (ARHC) is a collaboration among member communities Berlin, Bolton, Boxborough, Devens, Harvard, Hudson, Lancaster, Littleton, and Stow. Metro West CD serves the member towns by assisting with the municipal function of affordable housing, including proactive monitoring, resident assistance, program administration, project development, technical assistance, and regional activities. The regional approach affords each community access to quality housing services at a lower cost than they could obtain on their own.
Examples of our services include:
- Facilitate bi-monthly virtual meetings;
- Plan in-person Fall and Spring Affordable Housing Forums, with AICP-eligible courses
- Assistance with developing and administrating general Rental Assistance Programs for low-income residents at risk of losing their housing due to escalating costs or lost income
- Offer general staff support and ad hoc research
- Strategic Planning Technical assistance to Housing Trusts and Partnerships
- Write annual reports and correspond with EOHLC re: SHI
The collaboration was initially formed among the five towns of Bolton, Boxborough, Hudson, Littleton, and Stow in 2013 through an Inter-Municipal Agreement. Hudson, as the lead community in the Consortium, issued an RFP for third-party consulting services. Metro West CD was selected through the process and awarded a 3-year Contract for Consulting Services with Hudson in 2014. The ARHC undertakes the RFP process every three years, and Metro West CD was again awarded the contract through an RFP Process in FY2024. The current contract runs through FY2027 and now includes nine participating communities.