Tenants at Brighton’s Warren Hall will now have their 33 apartments saved as permanently affordable housing, thanks to a long sought purchase of their building by Federal Management Company (FMC) and the Allston-Brighton Community Development Corporation. 

MAHT helped tenants organize in 2011 to fight displacement as the 40 year HUD mortgage ended. Tenant leader Dave Horan had never been to Washington, D.C. or met a government official, but in 2011 joined MAHT’s delegation to a national tenant conference.  Dave spoke with HUD and Capitol Hill officials to help pass amendments which saved up to 60,000 apartments nationwide, including rent vouchers at Warren Hall.  MAHT won the first ever Resident Organizing Award from the National Low Income Housing Coalition for this achievement. 

While tenants were able to stay, the distant New York corporate owner proved incapable of making vital health and safety repairs.  Described as a ‘death trap’, Warren Hall tenants suffered multiple floods and ceiling collapses as the aging roof leaked into apartments below.  For years, tenants urged Rick Henken of FMC to buy the building from the New York owners, who refused to sell until early 2024.  With strong support from the City of Boston, FMC and ABCDC finally bought the building in March. Emergency roof repairs are planned soon!