Demystifying Andover Affordable Housing
Nearly 100 participants joined online to hear from experts on how Andover is embracing affordable housing, the challenges that exist, how the entire community benefits, and how to find affordable housing in Andover.
Sponsored by Courageous Conversations and Memorial Hall Library, the panel was the final event in a series to educate the community on affordable housing.
The moderator for the evening, Dara Obbard, an affordable housing attorney, masterfully connected the viewers with the panelists. She spoke about affordable housing in general as being affordable to the purchaser and that ideally no renter or owner will have to spend more than 30% of the household income on housing. This panel focused on Affordable Housing in particular as housing that is built with a subsidy, allowing it to be priced relative to the area median income (AMI) and only sold to households that earn less than 80% (sometimes 50%) of the AMI . Currently that is about $75,000 for a family of four.
“Home is the center of life; home is a refuge from the grind of work, the pressures of school.”
Dana Walsh, Senior Pastor of South Church, began the panel speaking eloquently on the importance of home saying, “home is the center of life; home is a refuge from the grind of work, the pressures of school.” She focused on the value of economic diversity in a community both allowing individuals to live in the same community they work in and benefiting the community as a whole. She stressed that a diverse community leads to greater understanding and the intersection of lives can enrich all of us.
Andover’s Senior Planner who oversees housing, Lisa Schwarz, explained the history of affordable housing in Andover and where we are today. The first public affordable housing was built in town in the 1940s. In 1969, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40B, commonly referred to as 40B, was passed, allowing private developers to supercede local zoning bylaws and build mixed income projects if 20 to 25% of the homes are affordable and the town has less than ten percent of its dwelling units on the state’s subsidized housing inventory (SHI). Currently 13.9% of housing in Andover is on the SHI. That may change after the 2020 US census is published. Lisa shared detailed data on affordable homes in Andover, which can be found on the Andover town website. In addition to units managed by the Andover Housing Authority (AHA) and units produced under 40B, Andover has added inclusionary zoning sections to the Town Zoning bylaw, which has produced units such as Powder Mill Square and will add units in the Historic Mill District. The town is open to local initiative projects to promote more mixed-income housing.
Denise Johnson, executive director for Andover Community Trust (ACT), spoke about the role of nonprofits in Andover and the importance of stewardship to ensure affordable homes remain affordable in perpetuity. She shared that zoning laws are invisible barriers that block affordable housing and the people who would live there. ACT uses the community land trust model to build permanently affordable homes. ACT owns and provides stewardship for the community’s interest in the land and sells the home with a ground lease to an income eligible homeowner. ACT homes are professionally designed by architects and built by students at Greater Lawrence Technical School providing training for our future tradespeople.
ACT homeowner, Sindy Davila, shared her personal story of the value of being able to purchase and live in an affordable home in Andover, one of the ACT homes. She spoke from the heart, sharing how, 15 years ago, she was desperately looking for a place to call home after she had moved her family 5 times, from apartment to apartment and would have to move yet again when her current apartment was sold. She shared how nervous she was moving to Andover and that now she truly feels a part of this community where her 4 kids are known, loved and respected. She and her husband have been welcomed and feel a part of Andover.
The audience had many questions both on how to promote affordable housing and how to find affordable housing. Walsh reminded us that we all have fear of the unknown and stressed that we need to embrace the spirit of curiosity, have conversations and get to know one another, because different backgrounds and different experiences make for a more interesting and stronger community. Schwarz reminded the audience that while some of the developments were contentious when they were being planned, 5, 10, 20 years later, no one thinks twice about the affordable units included as part of the developments. For instance, the market rate units at Abbot’s Pond now sell in the mid-400s and it’s a 30-year old project. Even the market rate units, developed under 40B, can provide more affordable options in Andover for middle income households, where the median assessed value of a single family home is almost $700,000.
Schwarz and Johnson both invited individuals wanting to get on waitlists for affordable housing in Andover or to understand the process to call them directly at the town or at ACT. In addition there are resources on the ACT website and a form for individuals to be kept up-to-date on affordable units becoming available.
Sindy reminded the audience that everyone can participate in and contribute to the Andover community irrespective of household income.
The panel was recorded and can be watched online on vimeo.
