Letter: A Noquochoke update; housing hearing continues March 8

Posted 3/2/16

To the editor:

The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB) has been working with the Trust, other town officials, and the community for the past four years to plan for the construction of 50 units of new mixed-income rental family housing at …

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Letter: A Noquochoke update; housing hearing continues March 8

Posted

To the editor:

The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB) has been working with the Trust, other town officials, and the community for the past four years to plan for the construction of 50 units of new mixed-income rental family housing at Noquochoke Village. The proposed six buildings and community center will be located on the eight-acre Perry parcel, with about 22 acres near the river to remain as open space for passive recreation. The town acquired the Perry parcel in 2006 and the Quinn parcel, the open space land, in 2005.

The proposed apartment units will be affordable for individuals and families across a wide range of income levels. The need for such housing in Westport has been demonstrated in the town's 2012 Housing Production Plan.

The estimated total development costs are close to $17million or approximately $350,000 per unit. The town has secured close to $1,030,000 in CPA funds, which includes land acquisition costs and last year’s appropriation to support a few moderate income housing units. The brownfield in the Quinn parcel is being remediated with a $226,050 MassDevelopment loan, which will be paid for by TCB. Site work represents close to 25% of the construction costs. The work involves installing a wastewater system that will reduce by 65% nitrogen discharge to the environment as compared with a conventional system. The Planning Board, centering its opinion on town’s studies and reports, expressed the need for installing a system that reduces the level of nitrogen discharge by over 95%. TCB is taking that request into consideration and noted that it would add $100,000 to the project costs.

The Perry parcel was acquired with CPA funds, thus, its use is restricted for Community Housing. Community Housing is defined as low and moderate income housing for individuals and families, including low or moderate income senior housing.  A low moderate income household earns no more than 80% of the area median income (AMI), while a moderate income household has income up to 100% of the AMI.

All 50 units will be eligible for inclusion in the town’s Subsidized Housing Inventory, currently at 3.5% of total year-round housing stock. The state legislation allows rental developments like Noquochoke Village to include all of its units in the inventory, even if a few units are not available to low-income households.

Current Affordable rental opportunities in Westport are available only to senior and individuals with disabilities: Edgewater Apartments, Westport Housing Authority, Westport Village Apartments and a couple of group homes sponsored by the Department of Developmental Services. None of these developments provide rental opportunities for low and moderate income individuals and families.

By comparison, the affordable purchase price for a home of an individual earning $40,000 a year, close to the 80% AMI, would be about $149,000; while the affordable purchase price for a family home of four with an income of $70,000, close to 100% AMI would be around $250,000. These affordable sale prices are much below the projected total development costs at Noquochoke Village and subsidies to bridge such gap are not currently available for home ownership.

The concerns and comments about the proposed development raised at the February 9 public hearing will be carefully reviewed by the Trust and The Community Builders. Further input from residents and town officials will be welcomed at the continuation of that hearing, scheduled for 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8, by the Planning Board.

Please don't hesitate to contact Housing Specialist Leonardi Aray at (617) 270-3912 or at leonardi@larayarchitects.com. He is available to answer questions about the proposal and affordable housing at the Housing Assistance Office, on the second floor at Westport Town Hall, every Wednesday from 10-4.

Leonardi Aray

Housing specialist,

Westport Affordable Housing Trust

 

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