Are You YIMBY or NIMBY?
Dear Leading Ladies,
Admit it. What are the first images that come to mind when you hear the words affordable housing? The very first thoughts, before your politically correct filter edits your response? Unkempt backyards? Crowded apartments? Lowered property values? Deteriorating schools?
If so, you are far from alone. Those are all common stereotypes. But vastly inaccurate. Fortunately, there are people around to provide us with the true picture of affordable housing, why we need it, who it serves, and how it can be good for all of us.
Moderator Andrew DeFranza tackled the subject at our event last week at the Cabot in Beverly. Close to 100 left with a much clearer picture of what defines affordable housing. A special thank you to Andew, executive director of Harborlight Homes; and our panelists Shawn Farrell, chair of the Select Board in Hamilton; Meegan O’Neill, executive director of Essex County Habitat for Humanity; and Darlene Wynne, director of development and planning for the city of Beverly.
Here are some of the important takeaways for those who were unable to attend.
What is affordable housing?
There are two ways to think about defining affordable housing. The first is according to how the state measures compliance of a municipality in providing an adequate number of affordable housing units. The other is by considering whether a community has housing for people of a wide range of income levels that costs not more than 30% of people’s incomes after paying their other living expenses such as for food, clothing, medical care, transportation, etc. This housing is for those who are either retired and living on fixed incomes or working in jobs such as teaching, police, firefighters, medical tech, restaurant and store clerks.
What are the different kinds of affordable housing?
There are owner occupied, such as the homes built by Habitat for Humanity, as well as rental housing in buildings with different numbers of units, not all of them designated for affordable housing.
Who pays for affordable housing?
There are various and numerous pools of funding, including federal and state governments; incentive programs and grants; city trust funds; developers themselves, and charitable donors. Full paying tenants sometimes subsidize the affordable units in their buildings as well. The Briscoe School project for seniors in Beverly has 11 or 12 different funding sources. A Habitat home may cost up to twice as much to build as a new owner can afford; the difference will come from local and federal funding and/or charitable contributions.
Who is affordable housing serving?
People from all different walks of life are eligible for affordable housing – school teachers, firefighters, nurses, police officers, restaurant and shop workers. Many people cannot afford to live in the communities where they work, though this would be preferable both for the community and the workers.
Others eligible are seniors living on fixed incomes who can no longer afford the houses where they raised their families but want to remain in their communities.
And people with physical disabilities who can benefit from living in their communities and near what is familiar and accessible.
Why do people who are employed need affording housing?
Essex County recently made the top 10 in the country for price of houses. That’s right. The top 10. And the least expensive apartment in Ipswich is a studio for $1600/month. People working full time at municipal jobs or many medical jobs can’t afford these prices. That’s why a family of 4, earning between $40,000 and $90,000 qualifies for a Habitat for Humanity house. We simply do not have enough housing at prices working people can afford.
Does affordable housing, either rental or ownership, affect property values?
The short answer is no. Many times, there’s a stigma to affordable housing. People imagine tenants with severe behavioral issues, drug abuse problems, and worse. In fact, property values are, at the least, maintained. Having affordable housing diversifies the housing stock in a town or city, bringing in different people with different experiences to share. Regrettably, Massachusetts has a history of exclusionary zoning that goes back at least to the early 1900s and is responsible in large part for the crisis we now have. Affordable housing can improve property and a neighborhood, making it a better place for people who already live there.
Does affordable housing affect the quality of schools?
That concern is often heard but has little merit. First of all, the data shows there is only one student added for every 30 affordable units created, so clearly that cannot have a large impact of any kind on the schools. And if it did? Having a diverse school, in terms of socio-economics and race, can have a positive impact on all students.
What is an ADU?
An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a secondary, smaller dwelling unit on the same property as a larger primary residence. The ADU can be attached, either within the building or a new addition, or unattached like a converted garage. It must be smaller than the primary building, have an off-street parking space, and can be suitable for a senior, single or couple. ADUs have a lower impact on the environment and the neighborhood while providing an alternative affordable housing unit. A senior couple might move into it and rent their house or have their children live in the larger house. Or vice versa. But unlike the City's prior ordinance, the tenants are not required to be related. Beverly just approved an ADU policy which allows ADUs by right under most scenarios; in some cases a Special Permit or Variance may be required. Short term rentals are not allowed.
Overall, what’s good about affordable housing?
First, the diversity it provides for communities is good for everyone. Second, affordable housing allows children and grandchildren to stay in Massachusetts near their parents and grandparents. Third, affordable housing allows those who serve the community (teachers, nurses, firefighters, police) to live where they work which builds greater community cohesion, dedication, commitment, and feelings of belonging. Fourth, affordable housing is good financially for communities because companies will bring their businesses to places where their workers can afford to live. Fifth, service jobs in restaurants, gas stations, shops can more easily find employees if there are places nearby for those workers to live that are affordable.
What can we do to support affordable housing?
Come to public meetings and speak up in support.
Check on how your community is doing.
Read up on the Governor’s proposed housing act, the most robust in a generation.
Call your state rep and senator and encourage them to move the Governor’s proposed housing act forward.
If you have land to donate, think of designating some for open space and some for affordable housing. (look into cluster zoning)
Look into the Community Preservation Act adopted by many communities.
Massachusetts is one of the only states with state-funded public housing. Unfortunately, that doesn’t erase the stigmas that accompany the introduction of affordable housing into many neighborhoods. Not in my back yard (NIMBY) is a common feeling, if not refrain. As Andrew DeFranza said, there is “a natural opposition to affordable housing once it has an address. Once that address is next to you, that’s when people get nervous.” He related an anecdote about a proposal to build four affordable homes and the flap the proposal caused about the impact on schools, traffic, and more. All about four townhouses.
So, perhaps what we can do most and best is speak out and disavow people of the myths surrounding affordable housing. Maybe if the myths are destroyed, the stigma will lose power.
If you would like to see last week’s event at The Cabot, watch it here, recorded by Bev Cam.
A lot to take in and process! Great to know there are so many working to make sure people who work in our communities can live here too. We realize this discussion did not talk about the homeless living on the streets or needing temporary housing in shelters. That is a discussion we need to have—and will—at an upcoming event.
Best,
Therese (she/her/hers)
Judy (she/her/hers)
Didi (she/her/hers)
Leading Ladies Executive Team