Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | November 2, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 37 affordable housing. e goal is to help seniors age in place while making more housing available to those who need it. Building Senior Communities Age-restricted housing offers older adults an opportunity to downsize without sacrificing independence, oen with resort-style amenities. One example is e Arbella at Bramble Hill in Worcester, a 123-unit, market-rate community developed by United Group of Companies for adults 55 and older. e complex is situated on Arbella Drive off Salisbury Street. According to Michael DiGiacomo, chief operating officer at United Group, developments like e Arbella could also help alleviate the broader housing shortage by freeing up single-family homes for younger generations. "When someone chooses to down- size from a single-family home into an active adult community, that home may become available to a younger house- hold or growing family," DiGia- como explains. However, Di- Giacomo says one of the big- gest challenges facing develop- ers is the cost and complexity of bringing new housing to mar- ket. Rising construction costs, higher interest rates and stricter lending requirements are complicating project feasibility, even as demand for senior housing continues to grow. "e demand exists. e challenge is making sure we can deliver quality housing at a cost that works for both the development and the people who will ultimately call it home." Finding housing hope amid a shortage e housing shortage is even more severe for older residents who cannot afford market-rate senior communities. e Worcester Housing Authority said the demand for affordable housing for senior citizens is increasing. e WHA operates four federally funded senior-only buildings, total- ing more than 800 apartments, along with Greenwood Gardens, a 62-unit, state-funded development serving seniors and people with disabilities. Housing authority CEO Alex Cor- rales said about 10,000 elderly appli- cants are on the WHA's public housing waitlists, with waits of three to five years or longer. e federal public housing waitlist has been closed. Corrales said the problem is a lack of affordable apartments for people who need them. "e prob- lem is that we have about 3,000 apartments in our entire portfolio, of which about 1,500, give or take, are for the elderly and dis- abled individuals. It just isn't enough," Corrales explains. Another obstacle is turnover. Seniors oen remain in their apartments for 15 to 20 years or longer, meaning few apartments become available for people on waiting lists. In response, the Worcester Hous- ing Authority is working to expand its affordable housing supply through redevelopment plans and public-pri- vate partnerships. Plans for Curtis Apartments call for replacing 372 aging units and adding 157 more, while the ongoing Lakeside Apartments redevel- opment will increase units from 202 to approximately 350. Both developments would also significantly increase the number of accessible apartments. One ambitious project is Booth Apartments on Haven Lane in Worces- ter. e property, encompassing more than 7 acres, currently contains 44 apartments. Corrales hopes to rede- velop the site into 200 to 300 senior housing units. His vision also includes on-site healthcare, nutrition services, and social programming to help older resi- dents remain healthy and connected to their community. However, rising construction costs remain a challenge, with each new housing unit in Worcester costing be- tween $400,000 and $600,000 to build. ose costs, combined with increased competition for state funding, have le insufficient resources to meet demand. Corrales believes there are multiple solutions available if organizations begin to think outside the box. He said using modular housing to reduce construction costs and encouraging other towns throughout the region to welcome affordable housing develop- ment could help alleviate the shortage. "e hope is that you'll start seeing more housing being built, not just in Worcester, but in the surrounding towns as well," he said W Michael DiGiacomo, chief operating officer at United Group, developer of The Arbella at Bramble Hill. Alex Corrales, CEO of the Worcester Housing Authority Michael DiGiacomo, chief operating officer at United Group, developer of The Arbella at Bramble Hill. COURTESY PHOTOS

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