Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions about 1178 Main Street

  • Metro West CD is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community development corporation founded in 1991. We collaborate with MetroWest communities to expand housing opportunities by:

    • Building and preserving affordable housing

    • Helping families find and keep their homes

    • Counseling community leaders to achieve their housing goals

    • Advocating for supportive policy and investment

    Together, we ensure that the MetroWest region thrives as a home and community for all.

    Learn more about Metro West CD at our organization’s website, metrowestcd.org.

  • 1178 Main Street will provide 48 rental apartments in two buildings, along with 73 surface parking spaces for residents and guests. 

    The development will have intergenerational housing, suitable for seniors and families, and all affordable to households earning up to 30%, 50%, and 60% of Area Median Income (AMI).

  • The previous proposal is for 36 market-rate apartments and 12 apartments affordable at 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). 

    Metro West CD’s proposal is for apartments affordable at 30% - 60% AMI, with 16-20 apartments affordable at 30%-50% AMI and 28-32 apartments affordable at 60% AMI.

  • Metro West CD has a Purchase and Sale Agreement with the seller and plans to purchase the site in summer 2026, following a due diligence period. If Metro West CD successfully purchases the site, we would then apply for state funding. Construction is estimated to begin in 2029.

  • “Affordable” means that rents will be lower, and future residents will need to income qualify (i.e. earn less than the maximum income for their household size).

    For more details, please see the Affordability page.

  • No, under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, there is no limit on household assets. Any income or interest from assets or retirement accounts does count as annual income when determining income eligibility.

  • Yes, there will be a 70% local preference for Millis residents – 70% of eligible apartments will have a local preference for residents of the Town, employees of the Town, employees of businesses located in Town, and households with children attending Town schools. This local preference will be subject to approval by EOHLC and will be consistent with state and federal law, which does not allow local preferences for apartments with certain types of funding. Therefore, the local preference will likely be restricted to the apartments affordable at 60% of Area Median Income (AMI).

  • Yes, the completed development will pay real estate taxes.

  • The Millis Housing Authority and Metro West CD have two separate but complementary proposals. Both will provide truly affordable housing in Millis, and together they will create approximately 100 affordable apartments. The main difference is that the Millis Housing Authority is requesting the designation of public land for affordable housing, while Metro West CD is requesting funding.

Questions about Zoning and Permitting

  • The development has received the required approvals from Millis, from the Zoning Board of Appeals in May 2025 for a Comprehensive Permit and from the Conservation Commission in March 2026.

    Metro West CD’s proposal will use the current design and permit with insubstantial design changes.

  • Yes, a traffic study was completed as part of the 40B Comprehensive Permit process. The traffic study was submitted by the market-rate developer as part of the 40B application and reviewed by a peer review civil engineering firm hired by the Town.

  • No, the parcels included in the 1178 Main Street development (totaling 8.66 acres) contain a large area of wetland, but the planned buildings and parking lots will not be built on the wetlands. The buildings will be located in the buffer area around the wetlands, and therefore the current market-rate developer received Conservation Commission review and approval for their construction.

  • Yes, 1178 Main Street has approval to connect to the Town sewer system and has been included in Town projections of future capacity requirements.

Questions about CPA Funding

  • ‍The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is a Massachusetts law that allows communities to generate funds for Community (Affordable) Housing, Historic Preservation, Open Space Protection, and Outdoor Recreation through a surcharge on real estate taxes. Individual communities must adopt CPA, and the Town of Millis adopted CPA and approved a one percent (1%) surcharge on local real estate taxes for CPA in 2006. The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) oversees administration and implementation of the CPA funds. More information can be found on the Town of Millis website here.

  • Applications for Community Preservation Act funding go before the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) and, if the CPC votes to advance them, to the Finance Committee and Town Meeting.

    Metro West CD submitted an application to the CPC in January 2026. The CPC and Finance Committee voted to advance the request, which was approved at Town Meeting in May 2026.

  • All-affordable developments rely on capital and operating subsidies awarded by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), and EOHLC requires developments to have a local funding contribution. Metro West CD was awarded $200,000 from the Town of Millis CPC to support the affordable development and provide that local contribution. This funding award from the Town provides access to approximately $28 million in outside funding.

    To submit a funding pre-application to EOHLC, typically due in October, an affordable development must have a commitment for a local contribution of funds. Metro West CD therefore requested a commitment of CPC funds in 2026, although the funds do not need to be paid until the project begins construction.

  • Metro West CD will use the CPA funding to pay for construction costs of the development.