Community Preservation Committee - Public Hearing Tonight

The Concord Community Preservation Committee is holding a public hearing at 7:30 PM tonight at 141 Keyes Road. At the meeting, each applicant for preservation funds will make a presentation of their project.

The Concord Housing Development Corporation has 20 minutes set aside for its proposal: "Broadening Affordable Housing for Concord."

Following each project presentation, the Chair will open the discussion for any questions or comments on that application.  Questions can be addressed to either the applicants or the Committee.

The Community Preservation Committee has set the following criteria for evaluating community housing projects this year (emphasis is mine):

1. Address objectives in the Comprehensive Long Range Plan or the Planned Production Housing Plan.
2. Contribute to the Town goal of 10% affordability consistent with Chapter 40B.
3. Ensure long term affordability through deed restrictions or other mechanisms.
4. Create new affordable housing opportunities through buying-down the purchase price of condominium and other housing units; new construction; the reuse of non-residential buildings, the use of Town or State-owned land; or the conversion of market rate housing to affordable units. The Community Preservation Committee recommends, whenever possible, the reuse of existing buildings or the construction of new buildings on previously developed sites.
5. Give priority to local residents, Town and school employees, Hanscom AFB military personnel and other groups with a “Concord Connection” in accordance with State guidelines.
6. Receive support from local organizations and institutions that advocate for affordable housing.
7. Distribute community housing throughout the town. Encourage mixed-income developments that are harmonious in design and scale with the surrounding community.
8. Leverage funds available for affordable housing through the utilization of state, federal, and other funding resources.
9. Avoid compromising resources identified on the Town’s Historic Resources Master Plan.

This is significant, because the Town of Concord Housing Production Plan 2010 Update Section 2.3 says “Even after reaching the 10% threshold, the Town plans to continue creating affordable housing, though at a smaller scale. There will continue to be needs for low-income rental, special needs, handicapped accessible, affordable homeownership, and moderate/workforce housing. These units will be created incrementally with smaller projects (5 units) moving forward regularly every year and three or four larger projects (15-20 units) making greater gains in the years they are approved.”

In the table below on Page 53, titled Annual Progress towards goals, the project is listed as “Walden Woods (CHDC)” and the number of units listed for it is 20.