NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Kathy Keeser sees symbolism in the newly opened Bracewell Youth Housing Project at 111 Bracewell Ave. 

 

"The numbers themselves, 111, are very significant in different kinds of spiritual settings ... It's a powerful sign for new beginnings," she said from the front porch of the green Victorian home on Thursday. The project designer, Bruce Hake of Hake-Westall Design Group, had pointed that out early on, she said, and "when they see one, one, it's supposed to think about reminding you of positive thoughts encourage personal growth moving ahead." 

 

For the young adults entering the house, "it's an indicator of a new chapter in life," the executive director of Louison House continued, and the green — both in term of the building's color and its energy efficiency — "green also brings up calm, brings up community. ... you think the green is growth. You also think that green is health."

 

For young people ages 18 to 24, Louison House's Bracewell project could be a place to call home. 

 

The $2 million project's been in the works for several years and was funded through state and federal funds including the American Rescue Plan Act, and nonprofit organizations and foundations. It offers six efficiency units that include one family unit with two bedrooms and one handicapped accessible apartment. 

 

The building is partially occupied and one of the tenants, Doug, described it as "gorgeous." 

 

"I've been working with Louison House for about two years now and they finally got me an apartment, it's awesome," he said. "I run my own jewelry business out of here, and I should be on track for the holiday season."

 

Louison House provides emergency, supportive and transitional shelter to those in need. The North Adams Housing Authority donated the Bracewell property to Louison House in 2017, along with the Flood House on Church Street. It was renting the Bracewell building for its permanent supportive housing but, once in hand, Keeser said the housing organization's board had to figure out whether to sell it or fix it. 

 

Keeser, who'd started in the post not long before, was steered to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services as she sought to rebuild the original Louison House in Adams, which had been heavily damaged by fire. It was a spark, she said, that pushed the organization forward. 

 

Since then, the Adams house, now dubbed Terry's Place for founder Theresa Louison, and Flood House have been renovated, and Bracewell Avenue moved to the front. Most the building was gutted but the elaborate carved staircase was saved. 

 

There's a washer and dryer set on each of the two floors and a small entrance with comfortable chairs for meetings. The entrance has a ramp for accessibility and the units are heated and air conditioned with efficient heat pumps. 

 

"It was a true honor and privilege to renovate this 1870s building into now six efficiency apartment units," said Amanda Zepka, president of Souliere & Zepka Construction Inc. of Adams. "There's a lot of unique challenges that come with working within the existing confines of a building this old. So I really appreciate all the design teams help and direction ... I'm appreciative of Kathy and her team's patience as we brought this project to completion. So I hope it's around for many, many years to come."

 

Zepka and the design and construction team, board members, funders, stakeholders and local and state officials participated in the four-part ribbon cutting along the ramp. 

 

"Our state Legislature appropriated $15 million to go into supportive housing, because the concern was, I don't need to tell all of you, coming out of the pandemic homelessness was rising, growing tent encampments, overcrowded shelters, and we were pushing for investment in solutions," said Joyce Tavon, CEO of the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance. "And I'm really pleased to say that of the 10 projects across the state that we were able to invest in, Bracewell house was one of those projects. 

 

"What was important to us was also getting money into projects in parts of the state where sometimes it's hard to compete, and maybe they're smaller and have a tougher shot at it."

 

And, she noted, it was hard to say no to Keeser. Shaundell Diaz, program director of the Three County Continuum of Care, said Keeser doesn't "suggest she voluntells you."

 

"She has a small crew, but a mighty crew, and they provide so many services to this community, and their services are impactful," said Diaz. "But not only is it impactful, it's a human right, and we can never forget that housing is a human right, and Kathy is one of the champions of that thought and that process within your community."

 

State Rep. John Barrett III joked it was hard to shut Keeser up, because "she's promoting her programs, and she's done good." Barrett, mayor of the city at the time, recalled how Louison House grew out local efforts when homelessness became a problem in the mid-1980s. The state provided a $250,000 grant at the time, putting North County out in front of the problem. 

 

"The community, not just North Adams, but the entire Northern Berkshire community, came together, just like they have come together to bring this project to Bracewell Ave.," he said.

 

"This is a really, really great project, really special moment, and it's really great to see investment here in North Adams and here in the North Berkshires," agreed state Sen. Paul Mark. "When we go down in Boston, me and John in the House and Senate, respectively, and we vote for projects, and we try to make sure funding is going to the right place. And we're trying to make sure that pieces of this pie are coming back to Western Massachusetts, that they're coming back to the Berkshires. And so to see that funding from something that happened in the Legislature, has come here, has helped, has been reinvested in our community."

 

Ethan Handelman, new executive director of the Community Economic Development Assistance Corp., an independent agency that allocated funds on behalf of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, said CEDAC's role is to help nonprofits "figure out this complicated affordable housing thing."

 

Having worked in the Biden-Harris administration, Handelman said he was excited to see ARPA funds being put to good use in the state and, as a father of young adults, seeing the work being done to help them. 

 

"Having watched them grow up and know where they are in their lives, I know how easy it is for things to go off track a little bit, and for people that need a little help," he said. "And so I'm really glad that North Adams as a community has come together to create this resource so that folks at that really critical early adulthood stage, have a chance have a stable place to call home that can make all the difference."

 

Mayor Jennifer Macksey said she'd been watching the renovation of the once beautiful building, which had become dilapidated over the years. 

 

Now, she said, "it's an asset to our community for those young individuals who are struggling and who really want to start on the right step, and you can't do that if you don't have a roof over your head and have some security."