LYNN — The City of Lynn is being honored for its multifaceted approach to tackling the housing shortage, including implementing the city’s housing production plan, comprehensively modernizing the city’s zoning code to unlock housing production, leveraging public land and funds to reduce the cost of development, and establishing a municipal housing trust fund.

Every year at its annual Housing Institute, the Massachusetts Housing Partnership honors individuals, communities, and organizations across the Commonwealth for their dedication to supporting and expanding affordable housing opportunities. Three honorees have been selected for this year’s Housing Hero Award.

This year’s recipients included the City of Lynn, Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority, and Judge Dina Fein.

“We’re certainly grateful and honored for the recognition of the work across city hall, Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development, and community partners,” said Mayor Jared C. Nicholson.

Charlie Gaeta, LHAND executive director, said, “The Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development congratulates Mayor Jared C. Nicholson and the City of Lynn. We are truly grateful for the strong and progressive partnership we have built together, a relationship that continues to grow stronger each day.”

Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) is being recognized for more than 50 years of tireless work in the Franklin County region, expanding housing opportunities and increasing access to affordable housing in an area where more must be done with fewer resources compared to neighboring counties.

A key achievement under the leadership of Executive Director Gina Govoni was working with state lawmakers on the legislative process to facilitate the merger with Shelburne Housing Authority. The transition to a single regional agency allows the HRA to streamline administration across its public portfolio.

“One reason why I wanted to structure the organization this way was to give more time to focus on new development and opportunities,” Govoni said.

State Sen. Jo Comerford said, “The Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority, under the leadership of Gina Govoni, is a force for good. Every day, Gina and her team rise again and again to ensure that individuals and families in Franklin County have access to affordable housing while also calling attention to the challenges and opportunities of expanding housing options in rural areas. ‘Housing Hero’ captures perfectly the Authority’s essential work and service.”

Judge Dina Fein is being lauded for her longtime leadership in securing housing stability for families through Way Finders’ City of Homes Initiative. Fein served on the Massachusetts Housing Court for 21 years, presiding over many code enforcement and receivership cases, both critical tools in neighborhood stabilization efforts.

After retiring from the bench, she found a way to connect receivership to affordable housing by designing and operationalizing the City of Homes Initiative in Springfield. Vacant, distressed properties are transferred to nonprofits for rehabilitation and sale to income-eligible, first-time homebuyers at an affordable price. She assisted in obtaining $3 million in seed funding for the project, which is now working to scale beyond Springfield.

“It’s very heartwarming,” Fein said of the award. “There’s so much more to do. I feel like we’re just getting started.”

Way Finders President and CEO Keith Fairey said, “I am grateful for the work Judge Fein has done to create a new pathway to address blighted properties in our communities. The impact of her work is already being felt in our region and resulting in new homeownership opportunities, greater generational wealth building, and transformative change in neighborhoods that long suffered from disinvestment.”

Springfield Director of Housing Geraldine McCafferty said, “Dina has been such a friend to the City of Springfield, where she used her deep understanding of vacant property receivership to increase housing opportunity and stabilize neighborhoods.”