The Marion Affordable Housing Trust Tuesday night reviewed and approved its final draft of the town’s 2020 Housing Production Plan.
The document’s goal is to update Marion’s 2015 Housing Production Plan. Its intent is to detail a proactive strategy for the town to plan and develop affordable housing, starting with summarizing, “the main housing issues that Marion intends to address and identifies manageable, realistic tools for the job.”
State law dictates that at least 10% of a town or city’s housing stock must be “affordable” before that community may rebuff a 40B development proposal. Marion is currently approximately 8.04% “affordable” housing, but with its first building permit the recently approved Heron Cove project will put Marion well over the 10% threshold.
The new document notes that, in Marion, “324 households are cost-burdened, and 203 households are severely cost-burdened, totaling approximately 28% of all households in town.”
But it also notes the town already includes over 100 subsidized housing units that make them more affordable, including 27 units at Marconi Village/Marion Elderly Apartments and 48 at Little Neck Village.
Affordable Housing Trust Chairperson Terri Santos led the unanimous vote to approve the draft and noted the new plan must now be reviewed by the Planning Board and finally the Select Board.
Clearly pleased with what the panel was approving, Affordable Housing Trust, Planning Board and Select Board member Norm Hills said this new plan is a simpler and straightforward one.
Strategy number one in the new plan is to collaborate on “friendly 40B’s” in partnership with developers to produce affordable housing units. The other strategies are to pursue direct funding or partnerships to help preserve housing for vulnerable communities such as seniors, pursue top-priority zoning amendments and design guidelines such as a 40R Smart Growth Zoning Overlay District, negotiate deed restrictions and conduct leadership training to support these goals.
The meeting began with reorganizing the Affordable Housing Trust. Santos was approved to remain chair. Toby Ast became the new vice-chair and new member Susan Miller became board clerk.
The trust set its next meeting for Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at 6:00 pm.
Marion Affordable Housing Trust
By Michael J. DeCicco