Harvard faces challenges with respect to the development of affordable housing, smaller housing for new families, seniors wanting to downsize, and diversification of our housing stock in general. Challenges include demographics (changing significantly), physical attributes (ledges, wetlands), and especially governance (a puzzle to many).
Some puzzle pieces relate to finances, beginning with the commonwealth, whose interest is in development of affordable housing, and the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), which can contribute yearly funding toward affordable housing goals.
Other puzzle pieces might be the town’s housing infrastructure boards; we’ve tried a Housing Partnership, Municipal Affordable Housing Trust (MAHT), and a Housing Authority. What worked? What didn’t? Why? Also, most land-use boards have an impact on housing policy.
Governance in town comprises many classes of boards and stakeholders but no obvious model for how they work together … process is not “agreed upon and written down.” Who puts the puzzle pieces together so that when an opportunity arises—for example, the Poor Farm property—a process begins with a clear outline to follow?
For me, the governance puzzle pieces should form a picture that makes sense, has leadership, can be managed and accountable, and can translate into work that addresses the vision and goals of the town, especially for housing. A charter would be a great first step in fitting the puzzle pieces into a picture that makes sense, and I believe that Harvard should have the conversation about a charter as a method for clarifying roles, processes, and accountability.
Joseph Hutchinson
Westcott Road
