Boston’s housing story is not just happening in the Seaport, Back Bay, or the South End. One of the city’s most important growth conversations is happening in Nubian Square in Roxbury, where Governor Maura Healey and Mayor Michelle Wu are helping move forward a new 110-unit residential project with a combined $10.5 million city-and-state investment. For buyers considering a move to Boston, this matters because housing supply, neighborhood investment, and long-term development patterns all shape where Boston is headed next. 

Why Nubian Square Matters

Nubian Square, formerly known as Dudley Square, has long been one of Roxbury’s most important commercial and cultural centers. Roxbury itself is one of Boston’s oldest neighborhoods, with roots dating back to 1630, and it has played a major role in the city’s history, culture, transportation, and community life. Today, the City of Boston describes Roxbury as the heart of Black culture in Boston, making any major development in this area about more than just real estate. 

For decades, Nubian Square has been a central hub for local businesses, transit access, civic life, and neighborhood identity. That is why new housing here will naturally bring a larger conversation. Boston needs more homes, but buyers and residents also care deeply about preserving the character, culture, and affordability of established neighborhoods. This is exactly where real estate gets interesting and a tiny bit spicy, because Boston never met a development conversation it didn’t want to debate over coffee.

110 New Homes Planned for Roxbury

The proposed project would bring 110 new apartments to an underused parking lot at 20 Malcolm X Boulevard in Roxbury. The city and state are contributing a combined $10.5 million through the Boston Accelerator Fund and the state’s Momentum Fund, both created to help move stalled private-sector housing projects forward. 

According to reporting on the project, 22 of the homes are expected to be income-restricted, which means the development is designed as a mixed-income rental project rather than a purely luxury building. The bigger story here is that Boston is actively looking for ways to close financing gaps that have made it harder for housing projects to break ground in the current market. High construction costs, elevated interest rates, and tighter lending have slowed development across the city, so public-private financing tools are becoming a more visible part of Boston’s housing strategy.

For buyers moving to Boston, this is worth watching because new housing often leads to new retail, services, streetscape improvements, and broader neighborhood momentum.

Why Boston Buyers Should Care

For luxury buyers, relocation clients, and investors, the key takeaway is not simply “state funds are going into housing.” The real takeaway is that Boston’s growth map is expanding.

When a neighborhood receives housing investment, especially in a transit-connected area like Nubian Square, it can influence future demand, neighborhood amenities, rental supply, and long-term perception. Not every buyer will want to live in Roxbury, and not every project will be relevant to every budget. But smart buyers pay attention to where the city is investing because today’s development decisions can shape tomorrow’s real estate opportunities.

Boston continues to face a housing supply challenge, and projects like this show where public policy, private development, and neighborhood growth are intersecting.

Thinking About Buying in Boston?

If you are relocating to Boston or trying to understand where the city is growing next, it helps to have someone who watches both the headlines and the housing market. At Move Me to Boston, we help buyers understand neighborhoods, lifestyle, commute, value, and long-term potential not just pretty listings.

About Katherine Kranenburg

Katherine Kranenburg, REALTOR®, is a Luxury Marketing Specialist and top-producing Greater Boston REALTOR® with nearly two decades of experience helping buyers and sellers navigate one of the country's most competitive real estate markets.

Recognized as a Boston Magazine Top Real Estate Agent and backed by 5-Star Google reviews and client recommendations, Katherine is known for making relocation to Greater Boston feel seamless and stress-free. She specializes in helping relocation buyers, luxury home buyers, move-up families, downsizing homeowners, and sellers make confident real estate decisions with expert local guidance.

Whether you're buying or selling in Boston, Newton, Wellesley, Brookline, Back Bay, Newton Centre, Waban, Newton Highlands, or the surrounding Greater Boston communities, Katherine combines in-depth market knowledge, strategic negotiation, and personalized service to help clients achieve exceptional results.