To the editor:
Lincoln is renowned for its creative and resourceful strategies for developing affordable housing while working diligently to maintain its small-town character. Lincoln has a long history of addressing the systemic roots of economic and social inequity, as seen in the diversity of its housing stock and its inventory of affordable housing. Unlike most Massachusetts cities and towns, Lincoln has provided affordable housing entirely through its own local initiatives: by adopting zoning incentives, granting special permits, and investing local revenues and Community Preservation Act funds.
Lincoln has achieved the state’s 10 percent affordable housing goal without ever having to issue a Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permit. This is an amazing achievement since most towns only achieve 10 percent when mandated to. A Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permit enables developers to bypass most local permit approval processes and local zoning bylaws without Town Meeting approval, leaving the town and neighbors’ minimal recourse and control over the density or design of the project.
While Lincoln’s track record is impressive, by 2020 Lincoln’s affordable housing inventory projection, based on current data, might decrease below 10 percent, leaving Lincoln vulnerable to 40B development. Diversity remains important to Lincoln, as evidenced by the town’s vision statement; but today, residents also recognize that creating affordable housing will help to protect the town from large, unwanted Chapter 40B developments. To meet these challenges, Lincoln will need to remain innovative and proactive in its housing policies and initiatives.
About 15 years ago, one of Lincoln’s innovative strategies was to develop an affordable accessory apartment bylaw. The bylaw was successful, as some homeowners took advantage of the zoning incentives to create affordable units. However, these units did not count toward Lincoln’s affordable housing inventory because they did not meet Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) regulations. A few years ago, DHCD issued new guidelines, making it easier for homeowners to comply with DHCD regulations and permit affordable accessory apartments to be included in a town’s affordable housing inventory.
For the past two years, the Housing Commission’s primary focus has been working toward the development of an Affordable Accessory Apartment Program to capture accessory apartments for the subsidized housing inventory. Warrant Article 12 creates the foundation for the Affordable Accessory Apartment Program by revising the current bylaw to conform to DHCD regulations.
While incorporating DHCD regulations into the current bylaw, it was necessary to re-organize the bylaw to distinguish between requirements and procedures, and to improve the overall organization and clarity of language. The only substantive changes were made to the affordable accessory apartment section of the bylaw, not to accessory apartments or multiple accessory apartments.
Warrant Article 12 is a new “tool” to help Lincoln create affordable units to maintain Lincoln’s affordable housing stock at 10 percent while the Affordable Housing Coalition looks for new opportunities to create affordable housing.
Warrant Article 13 will provide an opportunity for homeowners participating in the Affordable Accessory Apartment Program to receive a tax exemption on the portion of the building (not land) that is used for affordable housing. Warrant Article 13 is contingent upon Warrant Article 12 passing.
Click here for more information on affordable accessory apartments and Lincoln’s Affordable Housing Program.
Sincerely,
The Lincoln Housing Commission (Allen Vander Meulen, chair; Diana Chirita, Peter Georgiou, Mary Sheldon, and Sharon Antia)
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.
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