Town officials are exploring a 1.8 acre lot on Atwood Street as a location for an affordable housing project. At this point, the focus is on a small project rather than a dense development.
Abutters will be invited to a public forum for abutters (possibly on January 9th)[1] to discuss the potential project. If it moves forward, officials plan to ask Annual Town Meeting to “transfer” the property for the use.
Overview
Southborough Housing Opportunity Partnership Committee (SHOPC) and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Committee (AHTFC) have been discussing the options for using the Town owned property on the residential street to achieve some of their affordable housing production goals.
The plan is to issue a letter to builders/organizations encouraging them to bring SHOPC proposals for affordable housing options on the lot. It will be accompanied by a map pointing them to the parcel between 22 & 40 Atwood Street.
In public meetings, the SHOPC Chair stressed that any project should fit the character of the neighborhood, and not be overbuilt. And this morning, she assured the next door neighbor that nothing will happen without talking to abutters.
In a meeting of the AHTFC, its Chair stated that under the Town’s zoning laws, the site could support two single family homes by right. If they want higher density, according to the Town Planner, that would require a Major Site Plan Review (and public hearings) by the Planning Board.
Details and Status
According to SHOPC Chair Doriann Jasinski[1], last week the committee discussed the possibility of building two affordable units on the site and sending a packet to prospective building groups. The hope is that presentations will be made to SHOPC, which would then decide who on who to work with for a project for the town.
In a meeting this morning, members discussed the letter. At member Tom Bhisitkul’s recommendation, they agreed to amended, more flexible language, to cover potential townhouses rather than just two single family homes. The committee also agreed that they wouldn’t offer up front the possibility of paying for anything beyond donating the land. But they would make clear their commitment to finding a way to develop an affordable project that is “economically feasible”.
The letter will go to a list of builders they have identified and Habitat for Humanity.[2] And if more builders come forward, they will send out more letters.
SHOPC member Jesse Stein, of the Planning Board, asked about the legal requirements or a bidder list. Member Al Hamilton (also Chair of the AHTFC and a Select Board member) said they were waiting on an answer from Town Counsel.
Because it wasn’t on this morning’s agenda, approving a letter to abutters about a public forum will have to wait until a future meeting. Hamilton said he would have the AHTFC vote on a letter from them in the meeting he has planned for next Wednesday.
Background & More Details
SHOPC is the committee charged with “the study, promotion and facilitation of affordable housing” in Town. In September, Jasinski brought the parcel to the committee’s attention.
The Chair told her committee that the had been knocking her brains out looking for a viable option for a project. She discovered and researched the 1.8 acres and was interested in exploring possibilities. She wanted SHOPC to meet with a builder to discuss potential uses.
The committee was enthusiastic about the spot’s potential. That month, Jasinski brought the possibility to the AHTFC, on which she and the five members of the Select Board serve.[3]
The AHTFC has control of funds specifically designated to spend on affordable housing projects, and the authority to spend them, and purchase and sell property (within certain parameters) without votes by Town Meeting. (Although, since this parcel is owned by the Town, voters would have to approve donating it to the entity.)
In closed Executive Session on September 29th, the AHTFC discussed the potential for purchasing a property on Atwood Road.
The AHTF could buy the land from the Town, but on December 1st, members said they would rather the funds go further in supporting future affordable housing projects. They voted to have a Town Meeting Article request the parcel currently assessed at $428,000 be “transferred” by the Town for the use. (That requires a 2/3 vote.)
Community Preservation Act fund money has already been transferred to the AHTF to use for projects. And under the law, the AHTFC doesn’t need voters’ approval to develop or fund specific projects. Once they have the ownership, they would just need to comply with building/permitting laws.
AHTFC Chair Al Hamilton stressed that it’s not an end run around voters since Town Meeting previously vested them with the authority.
Hamilton described the Town owned 1.8 acre site as the former location of a water tower that was taken down in 1991. It’s mostly vacant, but there are some old foundations. If they divide the parcel, it will need to pass new perc tests. But based on past results he seemed to think it would likely pass.
Member Kathy Cook warned that she believed that part of the plans for revamping the Town’s water tower system might include putting a piece of equipment on the site, possibly a pumping station. Hamilton said that he would follow up with the DPW to check on that.
AHTFC discussed next steps for reaching out to builders for advice. Jasinski said that is SHOPC’s role. She explained because she had been under constraints from the confidential Executive Session, she hadn’t been able to continue discussing the topic publicly. Now she could begin reaching out to builders.
Based on comments made during their open December 1st meeting, the September 29th discussion appeared to include the possibility for buying a 3 acre parcel on Atwood. It sounds like that is unlikely to pan out.
On December 1st, Hamilton said that he approached the residents of 40 Atwood who own the parcel behind the Town’s lot. They weren’t “particularly enthused”. (That’s not surprising when you look at the map for the parcels and the owners’ home at 40 Atwood Road.)
This morning, owner Janice Sturgeon commented during the SHOPC meeting to criticize the committees for putting the cart before the horse by pursuing proposals before talking with abutters. She worried they were moving too quickly.
Jasinski agreed that things were moving quickly. She apologized and asked neighbors to be patient with them. She explained that they are trying to prepare to take an Article to Town Meeting in March.
Prior discussion of possibilities
When Jasinski first raised the possibility of the parcel for development, Bhisitkul noted that a lot could fit on the 1.8 acres. Jasinski repeatedly stressed that she believes any project would have to fit with the charm and character of the neighborhood:
It cannot detract from the value of the properties. it has to be something that will not upset the neighbors and not be overbuilt.
She suggested the possibility of a couple of townhouses/condos or even four buildings. She wanted to bring in a building company to help them understand the possibilities. Member John Wood suggested that they speak to committees in other towns about how they developed projects.
The members discussed different possible models including selling the land with conditions based on an RFP for the project, building and selling homes (with right of first refusal for any that go back on the market), and even building and renting/leasing units.
Wood told the committee he’d love to see a truly affordable project for somebody “that really needs affordable housing instead of somebody that only makes a $100,000 a year instead of [$150,000].” He followed, “I’ll take anything I can get but it would be so nice to see just real somebody that really needs it getting it.”
During the discussion, Jasinski pointed out that the parcel has trees along the road that could provide a visual buffer, while the area in the center is already grass, so wouldn’t require that much clearing. And since the Town owns the land, they wouldn’t need to convince voters to buy it.
At the December 1sts AHTFC meeting, members worried that residents on Atwood might oppose the property transfer. Member Andrew Dennington (Select Board Chair) referred to a presentation that Hamilton had shared with members demonstrating options that included rezoning both the Town and abutting lot to help fulfill MBTA zoning goals (for denser housing by right). He believed neighbors would be critical of that. Members agreed on stripping that as a possibility.
Members also discussed that the classic affordable housing rules require that the state hold a lottery to pick eligible buyers. They also discussed the possibility of having Habitat for Humanity take over, in which case they are responsible for the owner selection. There isn’t a model in which the Town can control who owns the property.
[1] Video of the virtual SHOPC Meeting on 12/13/23 isn’t available. (I believe there was a technical glitch recording only the first three seconds.) But I was able to get a recap from Jasinski, That included her indication that the forum for abutters would be on January 9th. But since the letter to neighbors won’t be approved until next week, I don’t know if the date will shift.
[2] Jasinski told the committee she would send them the revised draft. If members raised any major issues, she will call for another meeting. Otherwise, she will issue the letter.
[3] Bill Boland (former Chair of the Board of Commissioners of Trust Funds) is also a member of the AHTFC, but he was absent from the September and December meetings.
