The Quincy Housing Authority, a nonprofit organization working to address local housing needs in the Boston suburb, is set to purchase the campus of Eastern Nazarene College for $21 million. The college, which closed last year after years of declining enrollment and financial challenges, occupies a 27-acre site in a historic neighborhood approximately 10 miles south of Boston. The sale remains subject to approval by the Massachusetts attorney general.

Eastern Nazarene College’s closure reflects a broader trend of higher education institutions across the United States facing operational and financial difficulties. Since 2020, more than 50 colleges have shut down or merged amid changing demographics and mounting debt, resulting in a growing number of former campuses entering the real estate market.

The Quincy Housing Authority plans to repurpose the former campus to develop affordable senior housing alongside renovated residential properties aimed at facilitating homeownership for first-time buyers. James Marathas, the authority’s executive director, emphasized the organization's commitment to working with the community to create a low-density housing development appropriate for the site.

The housing authority’s acquisition follows a series of unsuccessful attempts to redevelop the property. A real estate developer and alumnus of Eastern Nazarene had earlier proposed constructing hundreds of housing units, but that plan did not move forward. Additionally, Quincy Mayor Tom Koch had recommended the city purchase the campus; however, city council members rejected the proposal over concerns about taking on debt to finance the transaction.

Mayor Koch expressed disappointment over the council’s decision but noted that the city remained committed to maintaining local oversight of the campus’s future. “Once the proposal was rejected, we went back to work, rolled up our sleeves and said ‘okay, how can we make sure that we have local control on this?’” he said during a recent event announcing the sale.

The housing authority’s initiative aligns with the mayor’s vision for the campus, according to Marathas. The organization views the opportunity as a chance to address pressing housing needs while preserving community interests in Quincy. The planned redevelopment is expected to provide both affordable housing for seniors and opportunities for new homebuyers within the city, contributing to local housing stability and growth.