HAVERHILL -- An affordable housing development in Haverhill developed by the archdiocese's Planning Office of Urban Affairs (POUA) is a finalist in a national competition: Affordable Housing Finance Magazine's 2017 Readers' Choice Awards.

The national magazine annually allows its readers to vote for the best affordable housing development throughout a number of different categories. Out of 120 entries this year, 36 developments, all completed in 2016 or 2017, were chosen as finalists across ten categories.

The mixed-use development Harbor Place, developed by POUA and the Greater Haverhill Foundation, was chosen as a finalist in the "Best New Mixed-Use" category.

Two adjacent buildings comprise Harbor Place; a six-story residential building with 80 units of mixed-income housing, and a five-story commercial building.

Of the 80 units in the residential building, 56 of those are affordable to households with incomes between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), six units are affordable to households at 80 and 110 percent AMI, and 24 are unrestricted market-rate units.

The ground floor level contains a fitness center, a resident lounge, and space for restaurant and retail use.

A number of organizations have already leased space in the adjacent commercial building, including the University of Massachusetts.

A public plaza, complete with outdoor dining and performance areas, lies between the two buildings.

"Harbor Place has helped so many residents of modest means, and has promoted positive change by revitalizing downtown Haverhill," said POUA president Lisa Alberghini.

"These outcomes are the most exciting and dramatic, and our office is privileged to be able to do this work on behalf of the Church. With Cardinal O'Malley's strong commitment and support, lives and communities are being transformed in Haverhill," she continued.

Voting in the Affordable Housing Finance Magazine's 2017 Readers' Choice Awards can be done online at www.housingfinance.com/magazine.

A ministry of the Archdiocese of Boston, the Planning Office for Urban Affairs works to create safe affordable and mixed-income housing across the greater Boston area. Since its establishment in 1969, the non-profit developer has created 2,700 units of affordable and mixed-income housing, providing homes for more than 11,000 people.