CHA’s FY25 Art Contest is now open. Entries are due by October 1, 2025 at 12:00PM. This contest is open to both CHA residents and voucher holders. Please see details below for how to submit your entry: 1. Artwork must be related to the theme HOUSING AND COMMUNITY and support the spirit of COMMUNITY. 2. The contest entry must be … Read More
CHA Executive Director Michael J. Johnston announces retirement after 34 years of service
A message from the Executive Director: Dear CHA Colleagues, Friends, and Community Members, After much reflection, I have decided to retire from my role as Executive Director of the Cambridge Housing Authority, effective February 27, 2026. This decision comes with a mix of emotions. It is extremely difficult to step away from work that has been so meaningful to me, … Read More
Draft FY26 MTW Plan Available
CHA’s FY26 MTW Annual Plan is available for comment here (https://cambridge-housing.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/FY26PublicCommentDraft8-15.pdf) A Public Hearing will be held on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at 5:00 PM. The public meeting will be held in-person at Cambridge Housing Authority’s Central Office (362 Green St, Cambridge, MA 02139) and over Zoom. Zoom meeting details will be made available on CHA’s website (www.cambridge-housing.org) a week … Read More
Home at Last: Christina Mumm’s Journey to Norfolk Street
When Christine Mumm walked the short stretch from the Cambridge Multi-Service Center to 116 Norfolk Street to sign her lease, it became the most meaningful walk of her life. Just the day before, she had been sleeping under a makeshift shelter in the woods surrounded by danger, struggling to maintain her recovery, and barely holding on. The moment she stepped … Read More
From Public Housing to Public Office: Ayesha Wilson’s Journey of Leadership
By Nicholas DeSouza | CHA Featured in One CHA: 2024 Year in Review Cambridge City Councilor Ayesha M. Wilson’s journey with the Cambridge Housing Authority reflects a deep, multifaceted connection that bridges her personal experiences with her commitment to public service. As a former resident of Jefferson Park, a Section 8 participant, Work Force Student alum, and CHA Resident Services … Read More
CHA Releases Publication Celebrating 116 Norfolk Street Reopening
The Cambridge Housing Authority is proud to share its latest original publication, A New Norfolk, highlighting the efforts and personal stories behind the transformation of 116 Norfolk Street into 62 deeply affordable Single Room Occupancy units. Click the link below to view the publication electronically for free on the CHA website:
116 Norfolk Street Opens: With a Tribute to a Housing Pioneer
By Nicholas DeSouza | CHA Setting the Foundation On a humid afternoon in August 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. looked out from the high steps of the Lincoln Memorial across a sea of more than a quarter-million people. Soon enough, the words he spoke into the microphones would be woven into the fabric of our Nation. Witnessing Dr. King … Read More
116 Norfolk Street Stuns in New Photographs Following Modernization
Originally constructed in 1907 as a convent, 116 Norfolk Street was acquired by the Cambridge Housing Authority in 1975 and converted into 38 units of Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing. In January 2022, CHA began work on a new building addition, including the transformation of all units from SROs into studio apartments. Today, following the completion of construction, the building … Read More
Meet CHA’s Events Czar: Elevating CHA, One Celebration at a Time
Featured in One CHA: 2024 Year in Review From retiring the numbers of Boston sports legends to celebrating milestones in affordable housing, Nick DeSouza has proven himself to be a jack-of-all-trades in his role as Executive Assistant to the Executive Director at the Cambridge Housing Authority. Drawing from his unique experiences in the high-pressure world of professional sports, Nick has … Read More