The Executive Office of Economic Development released the names of the last two members of the Devens housing working group this week and set a date for the group’s first meeting.
In an email to the Press a spokesperson for the office reported that Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao will chair the group and newly appointed MassDevelopment President and CEO Navjeet Bal will represent that agency.
As previously reported, the six remaining members are SusanMary Redinger for the town of Harvard, Shaun Copeland for Ayer, and Brian Hildebrand for Shirley; Chair Laura Scott for the Devens Committee; and Director Neil Angus for the Devens Enterprise Commission. The three town representatives are each elected members of their respective Select Boards.
Redinger told the Press she had received a letter dated Dec. 20 from Secretary Hao’s chief, Rory O’Hanlon, announcing that the group would meet for the first time Jan. 21 at 1:30 p.m. in the Devens offices of MassDevelopment, which will host the event. The group will continue to meet monthly from January through May, the letter continued, with a report of its findings due to the Legislature by May 19.
The Press asked its media contact at EOCD whether meetings would be open to the public, but has not received an answer. Neither did anyone respond to a request for clarification of the group’s mission. Redinger, however, said her letter stated that the group’s charge is “to come up with a strategy and plan to provide for increased housing production within Devens, including, but not limited to, the feasibility of allowing not more than 400 multifamily residential units in the Innovation and Technology Center zoning district.” That district includes the quadrangle of former Army barracks known as Vicksburg Square.
That language is identical to that of the economic development bill signed by Gov. Maura Healey Nov. 20 that created the committee. The same bill eliminates any cap on housing at Devens, which previously was limited to 282 units.
