On Thursday, Oct. 29, the League of Women Voters and the Harvard Press are sponsoring a Housing Forum in Volunteers Hall. The purpose is to provide input to the Planning Board as they update the town’s Affordable Housing Plan.
There was an article in last week’s Press that indicated that few of the units projected in the last Affordable Housing plan were ever developed. I say, “Thank, goodness!” That plan depended primarily on inviting developers into town to partner with Harvard on 40B projects. The idea was, “We can control the development and get what the town really wants.”
Well, how did that plan work out? The Massachusetts Housing Opportunities Corporation (MHOC), a “nonprofit” 40B developer, was invited into Harvard by members of the Harvard Housing Partnership (HHP). Agreements were made under the Local Initiative Program (LIP), an adjunct of the 40B law. The end result was two 40B comprehensive permits being issued. The Harvard boards agreed that both projects were as “bad” as any that could be brought by an unscrupulous developer that walked into town on his own.
Using Chapter 40B with a LIP agreement to develop affordable housing in Harvard is self-defeating. In fact, it is worse than doing nothing at all. Following that course, we ended up with permits for two of exactly the kind of 40B developments from which we are trying to protect ourselves.
Other approaches to generating affordable housing, such as the conversion of older structures, like Harvard Inn and Great Elms; or Lou Russo’s non-40B, senior housing project, result in affordable units that preserve the character of the town and don’t create the economic problems that are typical of 40B developments. The focus of the new plan should be on similar creative solutions.
Anthony J. Marolda
Jacob Gates Road
