Housing Trust Action Plan Calls For 33 Units Per Year

HARWICH – The affordable housing trust has approved a five-year strategic action plan with a goal of increasing affordable housing through the creation of at least 33 subsidy-eligible housing units in each of the next five years.

The plan places a strong emphasis on the need to ensure Community Preservation Act funds are allocated equitably to the trust to meet the goal.

In 1969, state law Chapter 40B set a goal for municipalities of having at least 10 percent of the total year-round housing stock listed on the state’s subsidized housing inventory (SHI) as affordable. Harwich’s SHI inventory is presently at 4.98 percent, with 328 units. The town needs 330 more units to reach the 10 percent goal.

A priority in the plan is to prioritize and leverage trust funds to annually create at least 33 SHI-eligible units to help the town incrementally reach its housing production goals. The plan particularly stresses the need for year-round developments with at least 25 percent of units affordable to households with low/moderate income, at or below 80 percent of the area median income.

A priority action in year one is a collaboration with the community preservation committee to ensure that CPA funds are allocated equitably to the trust annually to support the plan by creating a regular and predictable funding source.

The balance in the trust’s account as of September was $1,670,500, primarily generated by CPA funds approved in town meetings from fiscal 2018 to 2023, as well as funds generated through a cell tower lease agreement. The plan contains a projection of revenue and expenditures over the five years.

A priority action for this year is issuance of a request for proposals for development of affordable housing on the former Marceline property, an 11.89-acre parcel owned by the trust and located along Pleasant Lake Avenue. The plan recommends that the trust select a preferred developer through a public interview process and then craft a development agreement.

Affordable Housing Trust Chair Larry Ballantine said this week that the trust is scheduled to approve the request for proposals in its Jan. 11 meeting including a concept plan for the development, which will be forwarded to Town Administrator and procurement Joseph Powers as by late January or early February for posting.

The preamble to the plan refers to the housing crisis that exists on Cape Cod: “Our service workers can’t find housing; this includes police, firefighters, teachers, nurses, and health aides for a rapidly growing elderly population. Our tourist industry is threatened by critical staff shortages, a function of lack of affordable housing. The experts needed to help solve the challenges we face can’t afford to live here. More than 50 percent of our Cape workforce drive daily back and forth across two nearly 100-year-old bridges to provide critical services needed to sustain us.”

Harwich’s population is increasing; the federal census shows a 9.7 percent increase in population from 2010 (12,243) to 2020 (14,440). Between 2014 and 2021, the median age increased from 50.9 to 58.4 years, and the proportion of residents aged 65 and older increased by 26 percent. The proportion of family households also decreased by 4 percent between 2014 and 2021.

The cost of housing has had a major impact over the past decade. While rental units continue to increase, the major impact is in single-family home sale prices. In 2014, the median sales price for a single-family property in Harwich was $317,500; in July 2023 it was $667,000.

According to the plan, the priority housing needs today remain the same as were identified in the town’s 2016 housing production plan. They include increasing affordable housing rental options; creating a wider range of affordable housing options, including homeownership and starter home opportunities; increasing housing options for people with disabilities, including handicap-accessible, or adaptable, compliant for aging-in-place, and integrated supportive services; and reintroducing programs to support necessary home improvements to correct code violations or other hazardous issues.

Ballantine said the housing production plan is in the process of being updated through the efforts of the local planning committee working on the revision of the town’s local comprehensive plan. He said the trust will be providing input in that process.

A mission statement was prepared by JM Goldson, LLC, which worked on the strategic plan with the trust. It was shaped by community comments made at a public forum and roundtable discussion held June 27 at the community center. Mission statement goals are:

Prudently leveraging trust funds to support affordable housing development, including year-round rental and homeownership units.

Ensuring housing development is guided by principles of sustainable development and consideration of green space and natural assets and striving to fund projects with net zero carbon emissions.

Promoting community understanding about the housing needs of Harwich and advocating needed zoning changes to support the creation of affordable housing.

Serving as a land steward in service of affordable housing development, including facilitating development on trust-owned properties and the strategic acquisition of other developable parcels.

Securing various consistent and predictable trust revenue sources to ensure reliable support for affordable housing development.

Advocate for town, county and commonwealth policies to support housing affordability.

The plan also has short-term goals, including participating in the updating of the housing production plans moving forward with the RFP for the former Marceline property. Mid-term goals include advocating for zoning amendments, implementing a housing production plan, beginning development of a proposal for a second affordable housing site, considering a tax-based incentive program similar to one in Vail, Colo., and working on community and regional roundtable discussions.

In the long-term, the trust is encouraged to seek opportunities to acquire additional developable land to pursue partnerships with mission-based developers, review the goals and progress of the trust, and continue to work with the town’s housing committee to keep the community informed on housing matters.