After The Housing Authority of the City of Westbrook was founded in 1969, it began to develop affordable housing through the most conventional of means, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Westbrook Housing developed three public housing sites and offered Section 8 certificates/vouchers to the most vulnerable households.  As time went on, Westbrook Housing realized that there was a need for housing for families and seniors that were of modest means, too challenged by market rents to afford them. Concurrently, HUD funding began to be problematic, both scarce and significantly sought after, and the competition for the limited dollars was fierce.  Simultaneously, housing financing needed to become more creative. In order to continue the addition of units, alternate funding sources were required and Westbrook Housing found it was not in position to access many of the available funding sources.

Hence, in December of 1987 Westbrook Development Corporation (WDC) was founded to aide in the future development of housing.  Since its inception the Development Corporation has been a major player in the development of affordable housing in Westbrook, to include:

• Mill Brook Estates:  100 units of senior (55+) housing, combination of market and subsidized (new construction);
• Larrabee Village:  150 units of congregate care housing for seniors (62+) Section 8 project based (new construction);
• Presumpscot Commons: 29 units of senior housing (55+) tax credit project (rehabilitation of the old Westbrook High School);
• School House Commons: 8 units of subsidized housing for families (rehabilitation of old school);
• Golder Commons: 26 units of family housing, tax credits (new construction);
• Riverfront Lofts:  44 affordable condominiums.
• Spring Crossing: 38 units of senior housing (55+) tax credit project (new construction)
• Malcolm A. Noyes Apartments at Millbrook Estates 38 units of senior housing (55+) tax credit project (new construction)
• Dr. Arthur O. Berry Apartments at Larrabee Commons 38 units of senior housing (55+) tax credit project (new construction)

The Development Corporation is a leader in the local area as it continues to develop and provide affordable housing options to the people in the greater Westbrook area.