NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - More affordable housing is coming to Hampshire County. In Northampton, new apartment units will become available in the near future. Making strides to close the affordable housing gap in western Massachusetts. A groundbreaking taking place in Northampton for the new Prospect Place. Officials with the Healey administration were also there for the milestone. The complex will be located at the old site of the Northampton rehabilitation and nursing center. Secretary of Housing Ed Augustus told 22News, "There's such a huge need in this part of the state for those family units that the minute they come on they'll be put to good use." The building, once abandoned for 12 years, will house dozens of families starting late fall of next year. Officials with Valley Community Development say it's a perfect re-use of the site. They purchased the property back in 2022. The new housing units will be within walking distance of a local school, and grocery stores. "It's going to be clean energy and the benefits of the clean energy transition to a lot of families," says Rebecca Tapper, Secretary of Energy and Environment. "They're going to have air conditioning, we're going to use geothermal. When you think about how we have hotter summers, air conditioning is becoming more and more important and really focusing on that here and making sure they have a comfortable living space." Local, state, and federal officials emphasizing the time is now to help those looking for a place to live. A recent Harvard report found 22 million households in the U.S. spend more than 30% of their income on rent. State Senator Jo Comerford adds, "It's all about saying yes to 60 new affordable apartments in a blighted vacant property empty for more than a dozen years." The project is expected to be completed by fall of next year. Renters should be able to move in shortly after. Local News Headlines 22News Storm Team meterologist Brian Lapis speaks to Springfield Naturalists Club Portion of Chipotle sales to benefit Gray House in feeding more families through the Greater Springfield area Northampton breaks ground on 60 new affordable units Dining for a cooler planet returns to UMass Amherst for 7th year WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.