Three selectmen on Monday, July 18, voted to adopt a town plan for the next five years with ambitious affordable-housing goals.
The overall aims are to increase the supply of homes that more people can afford and to reach a number that fends off the proposed Mugar development.
Selectman Dan Dunn, who was chairing in the absence of Diane Mahon, called doing nothing about the lack of available affordable housing here “wishful thinking” and praised the effort to move forward with a five-year plan. Kevin Greeley was also absent.
In a related action, selectmen also supported continuing discussion by the Homeless Study Commission and endorsed its connection with the Somerville Homeless Coalition. The town commission was established after selectmen recommended no action on a proposed bylaw to restrict camping.
As to housing goals, the plan aims for 889 year-round homes by 2021. The target number of state-certified affordable units increases from 1,121 to 1,629 in five years. See the complete chart below.
“These goals may be ambitious for Arlington, and unsustainable given the dearth of developable sites,” a note with the chart says, “but the Town is committed to expanding its affordable housing stock at the current rate or greater.”
Mugar defense
One reason — not directly addressed at the July meeting — is the proposed development of the Mugar site near Thorndike Field in East Arlington.
The chart notes suggest this issue: “The goals listed in the above table are based upon the total number of year-round homes as listed in the 2010 decennial Census (19,881) and MAPC’s projection for the year 2020 (20,715). The ‘cumulative state-certified affordable units’ row is based upon the SHI [subsidized housing inventory] as of October 2015 and a rate of increase of 0.5% of total units, which is required for municipalities to avoid issuing comprehensive permits for Chapter 40B development.”
40B is a 1969 state law aimed to increase affordable house, but since 2008 developers have used it increasingly to sidestep local rules.
YourArlington reported last December that the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously to endorse the finding that more than 1.5 percent of town land is dedicated to affordable housing.
Calculations using the town’s mapping systems and other sources show the level at 1.53 percent, a memo from Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine says.
The issue is important as the town prepares to defend itself now that a state agency has deemed a 40B application by the developer of the Mugar project in East Arlington eligible.
Gwen Noyes, a principal in Oaktree, the Mugar site developer, has been asked to comment on the company’s efforts to establish its own calculations about Arlington’s affordable housing.
10-month effort
The housing plan concludes a 10-month effort, which included well-attended public meetings in February and April, to put into place the top recommendation of the town’s master plan.
Planning Director Jennifer Raitt introduced Karina Milchman, of the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, which aided the town in devising the plan, as did Jennifer M. Goldson, a planning consultant.
Selectman Joseph Curro noted the plan’s call for a variety of housing. “We have an aging population, with differing needs,” he said. “There’s a bit of a mismatch going on.” He found intriguing that
more than half of the housing stock in town was built before 1939.
Curro also asked Milchman how the sites for possible development were chosen.
She said the number in the final plan was narrowed down at April meeting. Laura Wiener, town housing director, added that nearly all of the sites listed were in master pan. Those that were not are on Broadway.
Developable sites
You can see the sites at p. 51 of the plan, with photos on following pages. One of the locations along on Broadway is Anderson Automotive, the site of the proposed home for Learn to Grow, a day care now in the former Gibbs School.
Selectman Steve Byrne said he was happy to move approval.
Pam Hallett, head of the nonprofit Housing Corporation of Arlington, said she fully supports the plan.
Stephen A. Revilak, a Precinct 1 Town Meeting member, also supported the plan, adding: “I’d like to see a tiny house at some point in the future.” He was referring to this movement >>
Table 16: Arlington Affordable Housing Production Goals, 2016–2021
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Total year–roundhomes 19,974 20,122 20,270 20,419 20,715 20,863
Cumulative state–certified affordable units* 1,121 1,221 1,321 1,423 1,525 1,629
10% requirement 1,997 2,012 2,027 2,042 2,072 2,086
Additional units need to meet 10% requirement 876 791 706 619 547 458
Required units for relief at 0.5% of total units 100 101 101 102 104 104
Required units for relief at 1.0% of total units 200 201 203 204 207 209
* Based on 2015 SHI plus 0.5% rate of increase. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010, & MAPC Metro FutureProjections for 2020
Town link to Housing Production Plan
Town link to affordable-housing information
Feb. 3, 2016: Trying to shape a vision for housing, 35 use their imaginations
Dec. 23, 2015: Zoning board readies one of its Mugar project defenses
This news summary was published Wednesday, July 20, 2016.
