YWCA at Hillside Sustainable Living
/
YWCA at Hillside Sustainable Living
We want to highlight a relatively unknown feature on the Hillside campus: the YWCA Residence. Nestled in the southwest corner of the Hillside Center for Sustainable Living, the YWCA will occupy a residential building with those needing affordable living opportunities. The building will consist of 10 private bedrooms, each with a connected private bathroom. The first floor of this three-floor building will provide residents with a shared kitchen, pantry, living and dining room, and in-house laundry. One unit on the first floor will be a fully accessible unit, and the building itself will be accessible from all points on the Hillside site. A person's income must be below 50% of the area median to be eligible. Once eligible, as a resident's income rises, so does their rent, but there is no requirement for people to leave as their income increases. As part of the Hillside community, residents of the YWCA building will have full access to all of Hillside’s amenities, including the community building, greenhouse, CSA program, and electric car sharing.
YWCA of Greater Newburyport
The YWCA is a global organization “dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.” Since planting its roots in Newburyport 135 years ago, the YWCA has enhanced the community through programs such as affordable housing, racial justice, community engagement, and wellness programs. The YWCA works with men, women, and children of all ages and all backgrounds to promote their mission, both locally and globally.
Affordable Housing
The need for affordable housing in this country is becoming one of the nation’s most pressing problems, in line with the need for climate action. Without access to a consistent living situation, people find difficulty in practicing their basic human rights to safety and education, as well as maintaining a job and sufficient access to food, water, and a warm shower. What would be described as everyday amenities to most are luxuries hard to come by for those struggling to maintain a roof over their head.
Since 1885 (135 years!) the YWCA of Greater Newburyport has provided affordable housing opportunities to community members. Affordable housing is achieved when those who make less than 50% of the area median income pay less than one-third of their income toward rent. Affordable housing through the YWCA can be found in Salisbury and on Market Street in Newburyport, with dedicated units for those who are disabled or homeless, and one building designated for women-only residency. The YWCA is happy to be adding Hillside to its portfolio of affordable housing opportunities in Newburyport.
We will be breaking ground on the foundation of the YWCA residence by November, and we cannot wait to share the progress with you on this fantastic feature at Hillside.
*An important note: The YWCA Residence at Hillside will be the only designated affordable housing on the Hillside campus. While we strive to keep rents attainable and living costs at a minimum (ideally zero) through solar energy, no other units will be designated affordable by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standard.