Special to the Times-Free Press
Trinity Financial—long recognized for its work revitalizing public housing and strengthening neighborhoods across Boston—has been named the 2025 Development Partner of the Year by the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (MassNAHRO).
The recognition comes during a milestone year for the company’s leadership: Trinity’s principals, James Keefe and Patrick Lee, were also recently presented with the Norman B. Leventhal Excellence in City Building Award for their contributions to creating vibrant, inclusive neighborhoods across Boston.
For East Boston residents, this honor underscores Trinity’s leadership in delivering one of the neighborhood’s most significant housing investments in decades: Overlook Terrace at Orient Heights.
Formerly a distressed 15-acre state public housing site, Overlook Terrace was transformed into a 331-unit, state-of-the-art, sustainable residential community shaped through several years of resident and community engagement. The redevelopment replaces aging units with modern, energy-efficient homes and introduces safer streets, improved pedestrian connections, and high-quality open spaces planned around resident needs.
The project has also earned major industry acclaim. On May 21, 2025, Overlook Terrace received a National Recognition Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). It also received the ACEC/MA 2025 Silver Award for Engineering Excellence, along with achieving both LEED certification and Enterprise Green Communities Certification—demonstrating its commitment to resilient, environmentally responsible design.
“Trinity Financial’s work represents the very best of what public-private collaboration can achieve,” said Peter Proulx, president of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (MassNAHRO). “Their commitment to residents and the very personal nature they bring to their projects make a real difference in communities across the Commonwealth.”
MassNAHRO cited Trinity’s resident-centered approach at Overlook Terrace as one of the key reasons for selecting the firm, noting that the redevelopment serves as a model for how aging public housing can be upgraded while respecting and preserving the community that has long called it home.
“MassNAHRO plays an essential role in strengthening public housing agencies and advocating for residents across the state,” said Mike Lozano, Vice President of Development at Trinity Financial. “We’re honored to be recognized by an organization whose mission so closely reflects our own—building communities that empower residents, promote inclusion, and advance housing as a basic human right.”
In addition to its work in East Boston, Trinity has led major affordable and mixed-income housing investments across the city and state. But Overlook Terrace stands out as a once-in-a-generation effort that replaced outdated public housing with modern, sustainable homes—while ensuring that longtime East Boston families could remain in the neighborhood.
The 2025 Development Partner of the Year Award was presented at MassNAHRO’s Annual Conference & Exhibition recently, in Norwood, Massachusetts.