Mayor Christopher Johnson, center, cuts the ribbon on Way Finders’ Rosewood Way affordable housing complex.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Lederer
AGAWAM — Way Finders joined public and private partners in celebrating its new affordable housing complex, Rosewood Way, at an Oct. 25 ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“We celebrate the opportunity that this creates for people here in Agawam,” said Way Finders President and CEO Keith Fairey.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Lederer
The $21 million complex is at 586 Mill St., Feeding Hills, just west of Agawam High School. It consists of 62 units, 52 of which are affordable, in 10 two-story townhome buildings with green space in the center. Apartments range from one to three bedrooms. A community building hosts meeting space, laundry machines and bike racks.
Seventy percent of the apartments will be filled under a local preference system, giving an advantage to people who already live, work or have household members attending school in Agawam. Twenty apartments are for households at or below 30% the area median income, 27 are for households at or below 60%, and 10 are for households at or below 80%. Five are market-rate. Four apartments are handicap-accessible and three are for people with hearing or vision impairments. Heating, cooling, electric and hot water are included with the rent.
“Creating more quality housing that people can afford at different incomes is what makes for thriving communities. It’s what makes Agawam a thriving community already,” said Fairey.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Lederer
Mayor Christopher Johnson said that the town is happy to have Rosewood Way. He said it is “quality” affordable housing, not low-income housing. He believes it will get the same reaction as the last affordable housing project in town, Pheasant Hill Village.
“Most people think it’s a condominium project,” he said, in reference to Pheasant Hill. “I’m sure as people drive by this project, they’re gonna think the same thing.”
Speakers like state Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield), a member of the Joint Committee on Housing, portrayed the complex as countering the housing crisis. He said that every day, he hears from people across the state who say they will leave if they can’t find housing they can afford.
“When you build certain types of housing, that helps other types of housing. So, this right here is a really, really, really important thing,” he said.
He also said the housing crisis won’t end without the public, private and nonprofit collaboration that brought Rosewood Way into existence.
“Local officials, state officials, federal officials, the private sector, nonprofits, everyone coming together. If you are operating in separate silos in any of those areas in 2024, you are going to implode,” he said.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Lederer
Rosewood Way was developed under Chapter 40B of state law. If a community doesn’t have 10% of its housing stock enrolled as “affordable housing,” a developer can apply for a state permit to override the town’s zoning and environmental laws. Built on a former farm covering less than 9 acres, Rosewood Way is much denser than Agawam’s zoning bylaws would allow.
In the past, Agawam residents have opposed it due to concerns about traffic on Mill Street and uncertainty over whether Agawam residents would receive preference in applying for units. In March 2020, the City Council voted against allocating Community Preservation Act funds for it, rejecting both the $564,000 request and an amendment to allocate only $200,000.
In January 2023, Fairey said the project found its funding elsewhere — he thanked a variety of private and public funders at the ribbon cutting — and that construction would begin that year. Allegrone Construction began work in February 2023 and ended in October 2024.
“They figured out how to keep this project going and keep it on time. So I really appreciate that,” said Fairey.
Applications were made available in February 2024 and were due by May 1. Applications were subject to a lottery system. Fairey said tenants should start moving in within the next month. A total of 30 people were offered an apartment and accepted, so far.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Lederer
Way Finders board Chair Jasmine Naylor said the people living at Rosewood Way will include future business leaders, current entrepreneurs, past doctors and lawyers, and families, grandparents and siblings.
She herself lived in an affordable housing complex while juggling college and a baby, before she went on to work in corporate America.
“When I was getting my first apartment, people might not have looked at me like I was going to be anybody,” she said. “But lo and behold, it doesn’t matter where you start, but we need to start somewhere. Everyone should be able to choose where they live.”
Asked if Way Finders had any future plans in Agawam, Fairey said there was more land at 586 Mill St., and he hopes to come to an agreement with the town on what to do with that land. Before it began building, Way Finders had subdivided the lot. There are three house lots along Mill Street, one of 2.7 acres and two of about 0.3 acres, that are not part of the Rosewood Way project. Johnson said he supported future development.
“Given how much room is out of the front, hopefully there’ll be another phase,” he said.
