Roxbury Impact Study

BlueHub’s 40-Year Impact in Roxbury, Massachusetts

Since BlueHub’s founding, Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood has been central to our story. Not only is the community home to our headquarters since 2000, it’s home to a diverse population striving to overcome historic barriers like redlining and underinvestment.

According to an independent report, BlueHub has provided $147 million in financing—and leveraged an additional estimated $910 million (a ratio of $6.19 for every $1 invested) to increase affordability, boost workforce development, increase education and childcare access, and center community services and programs.

Analysis for the Roxbury Impact Study was conducted by third-party experts LifeCity, an organization that helps track and report the impact of community development. LifeCity interviewed 35 people including BlueHub personnel, Roxbury residents and developers to understand the community-level impacts of BlueHub’s lending in Roxbury. The interviews were reviewed alongside community data and local planning initiatives in order to analyze how BlueHub’s investments have met community needs.

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Story of a city block: Roxbury's Nubian Square

This city block represents only a small section of BlueHub’s work in Roxbury but it is a prime example of BlueHub’s concentrated investment strategy to support the locally-led transformation of Nubian Square. BlueHub Loan Fund and New Markets Tax Credits are helping to transform this area, providing critical predevelopment capital to support multiple development projects with outcomes in affordable housing, technical and trade career opportunities, and community arts programming.

Building Affordable Communities

BlueHub has invested $85.6 million and leveraged an estimated $568.2 million in outside capital to expand homeownership and rental housing opportunities.

Through BlueHub SUN, 19 homeowners in Roxbury avoided foreclosure and eviction and were able to stay in the neighborhood and stabilize their finances. These homeowners have built $6.95 million in home equity that otherwise would have been lost to foreclosure and eviction.

BlueHub also added 3,225 housing units to the neighborhood, 81% of which are deed-restricted affordable to people earning 80% of the area median income.These investments have amounted to neighborhood stability and wealth-building opportunities for local residents, creating economic progress while maintaining an affordable neighborhood.

Boosting Workforce Development

BlueHub has invested $27.9 million and leveraged an estimated $107.2 million to support career development pathways in technical and trade sectors.

Projects like Nubian Square Ascends and Franklin Cummings Tech’s new campus in Roxbury are expanding access to employment opportunities. These investments contribute to higher-wage job opportunities for Roxbury residents and lead to increased economic mobility.

Increasing Education and Childcare Access

BlueHub has played a key role in supporting quality education opportunities for Roxbury residents. BlueHub invested $30.7M and leveraged an estimated $215.2M to create 797 new slots for K-12 students and 756 early childcare opportunities in the neighborhood.

Examples include Roxbury Prep and Roxbury Roots Montessori, which offer high-quality learning environments for local families.

Centering Community Services and Programs

Recognizing that culture and inclusion are powerful tools for advancing community health and well-being, BlueHub provided $34.5M in financing and leveraged an estimated $241.3M to support projects that uplift the diverse and vibrant culture of Roxbury. These loans provided social support for those facing barriers after incarceration, created educational opportunities around nutritious and culturally diverse food, and bolstered social services.

Examples include Haley House, which provides culinary job training and reentry support, and Nubian Markets, which brings affordable, culturally relevant food to the neighborhood.

Roxbury Impact by the Numbers

What Makes Us Different

BlueHub’s impact in Roxbury is shaped by our role as a connector of partners and capital to community needs. Our lending is patient, flexible and risk-tolerant, prioritizing long-term community outcomes.

Our aim in Roxbury, and nationwide, is to support a community-led development process that creates the healthy neighborhood envisioned by local residents and leaders. We have spent 40 years collaborating to develop innovative solutions to social problems, and we are ready to meet future challenges alongside the community for years to come.

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