Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Authority Rfp topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Yarmouth Housing Authority issues RFP for 506 Forest Road; neighbors and trustees raise water and stormwater concerns
Summary
The Yarmouth Housing Authority issued an RFP for development of affordable rental housing at 506 Forest Road due May 7, 2025. Authority leaders outlined voucher and property programs; residents and town staff flagged water‑supply, nitrogen and stormwater risks for the site.
Wendy Olsen, executive director of the Yarmouth Housing Authority, told an April 22 affordable housing workshop that the authority has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a developer to design, construct, operate and manage affordable rental housing on land at 506 Forest Road. Proposals are due May 7, 2025 at 3 p.m., Olsen said.
Olsen described the housing authority’s existing programs: the authority administers 332 federal rental vouchers and 37 state rental vouchers and owns and manages 40 rental units at Long Pond Plaza for seniors and people with disabilities. The 506 Forest Road RFP asks proposers to consider a condominium or lease arrangement in which a developer would own and operate the project; the RFP favors projects that are 100% affordable to households up to 80% of area median income with targeted units at 50% AMI or lower and indicated that projects scoring higher for net‑zero or green energy approaches would be viewed favorably.
During the public discussion several Select Board members, town staff and residents raised technical concerns about the site: speakers emphasized the presence of nearby public‑supply wells and the watershed’s vulnerability to nitrogen, nitrates and emerging contaminants (PFAS). Town Administrator Bob Lawton and others said the preliminary engineering on the parcel had included a recommended cap of 90 bedrooms and roughly 49 units, and urged that advanced nitrogen‑removal systems and robust stormwater management be baked into proposals or selection criteria.
Resident and committee speakers noted long‑standing neighborhood flooding and high groundwater in nearby Captain’s Village and warned that any increase in wastewater or runoff could magnify existing problems. Select Board members stressed the need for rapid, technical review during state site‑eligibility and comprehensive‑permit stages and recommended town boards and departments use peer review and consultant resources during the 30‑day comment windows.
Several meeting participants urged the housing authority to strengthen the RFP or issue an addendum clarifying requirements such as advanced nitrogen treatment, stormwater controls, bonding and an expanded evaluation committee. The housing authority said it had worked with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership on the RFP and would review questions and proposals after the May 7 deadline.
No developer had yet been selected at the workshop; the housing authority and Select Board members asked for continued coordination with town staff and offered technical assistance during review and permitting.
