Fazzi Support LetterBob Fazzi, Ed.D.
Managing Director, Fazzi Impact Fund
Former Founder/CEO Fazzi Associates, Inc.
413-531-4016
To: Carolyn Misch, Director
Northampton Planning Department
From: Bob Fazzi, Ed.D.
Managing Director, Fazzi Impact Fund
Former Founder/CEO Fazzi Associates, Inc.
Date: August 24, 2023
Re: Support of the Application of Valley CDC to Build an Affordable Housing Program on 27 Crafts Street
Please accept this letter of support for Valley Community Development Corporation’s application to build a thirty unit affordable housing program on 27 Crafts Street. I realize that
this letter is late but because of the importance of this effort, I thought it was worth submitting.
I have lived and worked in Northampton for over thirty years, first in my capacity as the CEO of the Center for Human Development and later as the founder and CEO of Fazzi Associates.
While at the Center for Human Development, we had offices and programs in Northampton since the mid 1970s. With Fazzi Associates, I opted to have our main office in Northampton, first
on King Street and later on at Village Hill where we were the first business to locate there. For both companies, we hired a good number of staff who lived in Northampton. We raised
our granddaughter in Northampton and continue to live in Northampton today. We love Northampton!
My focus on having Northampton as a base for our programs and services came from my deep admiration for the enlighten spirit and commitment our community has had for all our residents,
those with financial stability and those struggling to survive and/or afford to live in Northampton with minimal resources. The Valley CDC proposal offers us the opportunity to help
our most needy residents as well as those on the margins of affording to live and work in our community.
I view the Valley CDC proposed project as much more than a housing program. It is a well thought out, well-staffed project that provides supportive resources to help residents live
and thrive in a safe and affordable living environment. The program also provides the stability that many of the residents need to obtain jobs in downtown. Living in a site and community
where residents can easily shop for food and supplies, access bus lines and the rail trail and be able to obtain jobs within walking distance is a valuable added advantage.
I firmly believe that this is an important and much needed program that we can all be proud of. Again, I apologize for this late letter and ask you to support the Valley CDC application.