In an example of how developments at Devens can have unintended consequences for Harvard, town officials said last week they were concerned that the proposed new housing development on Grant Road at Devens would likely add to Harvard’s affordable-housing deficit. Harvard’s Municipal Affordable Housing Trust and Board of Selectmen have both protested the project’s lack of state-defined affordable housing and asked for changes.
At issue are the 124 homes, townhouses, and rental units that Lexington-based Devens Village Green LLC proposes to construct on land at Devens within the historic boundaries of Harvard. Because of the peculiarities of the Devens reuse plan, homes constructed there are counted as part of Harvard housing stock, 10 percent of which, according to Massachusetts law, must be affordable if a town wishes to prevent “unfriendly” housing developments.
Adding to Harvard’s deficit
In a closely argued three-page memo submitted last week to the Devens Enterprise Commission, David Hopper of Harvard’s Municipal Affordable Housing Trust said that none of the units planned for Devens will be reserved for “income-eligible” households as they are defined by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (or “low-income” households as defined by the Devens Enterprise Commission’s own regulations) and therefore will further lower the percentage of units available to low-income families who wish to move to Harvard.
“This is a critical issue for Harvard,” Hopper wrote. All of the Grant Road units will be added to Harvard’s housing stock. “If none of these meet the state requirements, they will reduce Harvard’s percentage of affordable housing,” 10 percent of which should be “affordable,” according to Chapter 40B, the Massachusetts law that encourages towns to increase housing for families of moderate means. Although MassDevelopment, using its own definitions of affordability, says that 27 of the units will be “affordable to moderate-income households,“ Hopper says homes meeting that definition contribute nothing to Harvard’s 40B percentage.
“It is important that a minimum of 10 percent of the housing units located in Harvard meet the state requirements for affordable housing (households at or below 80 percent of the area’s median income). Otherwise, the construction of new housing that does not include ‘low-income’ units will have an immediate negative impact to Harvard’s affordable housing goals and possibly create a long-term hardship for whatever community eventually takes jurisdiction of the Harvard portion of Devens,” Hopper wrote.
Selectmen add voice to concerns
Hopper delivered his objections to the Devens Enterprise Commission at its March 31 open hearing on Village Green’s unified permit for what Devens terms, an “innovative residential development.” To be granted a permit, the developer must comply with the DEC’s rules and regulations, which spell out what qualifies as “low-income” and “moderate-income” housing. Hopper argues that those definitions are not aligned with those of the state and has asked for changes.
Last week, after hearing Hopper’s report at their April 7 meeting, the selectmen voted to add their voice to his request. In an April 8 letter to DEC Chairman William Marshall, the selectmen wrote that the board “has serious concerns about the project going forward as presently proposed, especially given its failure to comply with the state’s standard for affordable housing under Chapter 40B and the Devens Reuse Plan.” The letter asks that Hopper’s memorandum be entered into the record of the Village Green hearing and that his “proposed solutions to these matters be given serious consideration.”
The DEC will continue its hearing on the Village Green permit on April 28. DEC Land Use Administrator Peter Lowitt acknowledged having received the selectmen’s letter. A spokeswoman for Mass Development, Kelsey Abbruzzese, said that the agency had “no comment at this time.” But, she added, “we look forward to the public hearing.”
