When local contractor and property developer Durrell Miller bought a long-vacant building on Rigby Avenue at auction, his plan was straightforward: renovate it, rent it, and let the numbers work.
But Cambridge’s zoning rules pushed him in a slightly different direction, ultimately resulting in both a viable business venture and a new tool for Delmarva Community Services (DCS), a local anti-poverty nonprofit, as it works to move people from homelessness into stable housing.
The newly renovated Rigby Community Building, or Rigby House, at 617 Rigby Ave., was recently rededicated as a single-room-occupancy property with 18 private bedrooms, shared baths, and communal spaces divided between two sides of a duplex. Each room rents for $850 per month, including utilities and internet.
“It started out as a strictly business decision,” Miller told The Spy. “Then once I started going to meetings with the city, with shelters and with Delmarva Community Services, and actually seeing the need in the community, it got more personal.”
Miller owns D.M. Services LLC, a construction company, and several rental properties across Dorchester County. His partner is Matthew Rust. D.M. Services paid $71,500 for the Rigby Avenue building and invested about $450,000 in its rehabilitation.
“It was in horrible shape,” Miller said. “Holes in the roof. Completely unlivable. We gutted the entire building from the floor joists to the roof. Everything in here is brand new.”
The building’s final form was shaped in part by zoning. Miller said he initially planned to develop apartments, but the city classified the property as “special exemption group housing,” which allowed it to revert to its historical use.
“Originally, this was a boarding house,” Miller said. “So I got a special exemption to do what it originally was.”
As a condition of approval and safety, the building was divided into two sections, each with nine private rooms and shared common areas. A firewall separates the units.
A recent open house drew residents curious about the property and its role in a city where service providers say affordable housing options are increasingly scarce.
Pam Jones, a longtime Cambridge resident, toured the building and spoke about Rigby Avenue’s history as a place that once housed travelers and entertainers, particularly Black musicians who had few lodging options elsewhere. Built in 1952, the boarding house thrived through the 1970s.
“This was a hotel for them,” Jones said. “Back then, there weren’t many places available for them to stay.” Other frequent residents included workers from the Phillips Packing Company and the crabbing and oystering industry.
She said the building’s new purpose fits a need that still exists, but for different reasons. “There were a lot of people in need of cheap housing back then,” Jones said. “There still are.”
Jones called the $850 monthly rent a bargain for a private room in a newly renovated building with utilities included. “The rooms are beautiful. And all utilities and Wi-Fi are included.”
Miller said the rent reflects what he sees as a landlord in today’s market.
“A single-bedroom house is $900 or more, if you can find one,” he said. “So $850 with utilities and internet included is unheard of.”
What sets the project apart, however, is its partnership with DCS. Instead of marketing rooms to the general public, Miller agreed to give DCS the first opportunity to place people transitioning out of homelessness.
“They transition people from shelter into permanent living,” Miller said. “That’s where I fit in.”
Valerie Davis, the homeless services coordinator for DCS, said the arrangement fills a critical gap. She said many people DCS serves live on fixed incomes, including disability benefits, and she has seen a growing number of seniors fall into homelessness after rent increases outpace income.
“The rent goes up, but their income does not,” Davis said.
Housing with predictable costs can make the difference between stability and prolonged homelessness. “When utilities and Wi-Fi are included, it becomes reachable,” Davis said. “Without something like this, such opportunities just aren’t there.”
Davis said the project offers something rare: private space for people leaving shelters, paired with support services such as budgeting assistance and job-search support. She noted that many clients face basic barriers, including missing identification.
“It is much harder to get IDs and birth certificates than it is to get insurance,” she said.
She added that homelessness in Cambridge extends beyond the shelter population, including people doubled up with family or friends, living in tents or staying in unsafe conditions.
From a business standpoint, Miller said the project depends on steady occupancy across all 18 rooms.
“This project has put me into debt,” he said. “But with 18 units, it will pay itself off over time, and also provide decent, affordable housing for people who really need it.”
Eddie Crosby, Cambridge’s director of housing, said the Rigby Avenue project met all code requirements and was approved as a permitted use. More importantly, he said, it aligns with the city’s broader housing goals.
“This is a way to help move people from homelessness toward housing stability,” Crosby said. “From our perspective, anything that helps folks move through that process is beneficial.”
Crosby said the city views projects like this as one part of a larger continuum.
“We look at housing from homelessness to homeownership,” he said. “This kind of setup can help people move to the next phase and become more self-sufficient.”
For now, Miller said his focus is on opening the doors and seeing whether the partnership delivers on both sides’ expectations. “I think it’s a win-win”.
Davis agreed.
“It opens up options we didn’t have before,” she said. “Not on any scale like this.”