Tenants formed the Mercantile Wharf Tenants Association (MWTA) in 2015 with the help of the Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants (MAHT) to save and improve our homes. Under the leadership of the late Sandi Padellaro, the MWTA negotiated with the new owners (Low Income Housing Fund in Maine and Belveron in California) and city and state agencies, to preserve Mercantile Wharf as mixed income, affordable housing—as it was originally intended—and to win repairs and upgrades. 

As part of their purchase of Mercantile Wharf, the new ownership brought in Peabody Properties to manage the building.  Contractors were hired to upgrade and seal the roof and the outside building façade.  The MWTA has met regularly with Peabody and owner reps throughout this process to raise tenant concerns and make sure that the work gets done with minimal disruption to tenants. 

As a result of Tenants Association advocacy:

• Most water leaks and mold have been fixed, particularly on the upper floors
• Peabody has hired a part-time security company and restored a camera system in the building
• New management staff have been hired for the building, improving communication with tenants

Since the new owners took over in 2020:

• 48 of 125 apartments have been reserved for lower income tenants with Project Based Vouchers for at least 20 years.
• Of 68 ‘market’ rent apartments, 22 have mobile Vouchers from local agencies.
• An additional 9 apartments have mobile rent vouchers from the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), to be replaced by market rate tenants over time
• Tenants in MRVP apartments have won a rent reduction from 40% to 30% of their income for rent
• Today, 79 of the 125 apartments are occupied by lower income households who pay no more than 30% of their income for rent

Preserving Mercantile Wharf for affordable, diverse, mixed income housing in the gentrified North End/Waterfront is an incredible achievement!