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Trust approves $750,000 local subsidy for 18–30 Lyman Street project with conditions
Summary
Westborough Affordable Housing Trust authorized a $755,000 package — $750,000 subsidy plus $5,000 for legal contingencies — for the 18–30 Lyman Street project, contingent on terms that include 25% of units as SHI-restricted at 80% AMI, local workforce preference negotiation, anti-short-term-rental clauses, and certificate-of-occupancy timing restrictions.
The Westborough Affordable Housing Trust on June 17 approved a local subsidy package tied to the 18–30 Lyman Street development, voting to allocate $755,000 composed of a $750,000 local subsidy and $5,000 for legal costs and contingencies. The subsidy vote passed on a 5-0 show-of-hands vote.
Staff described the vote as a response to a ZBA variance requiring the project to provide 25% of units as affordable in perpetuity at 80% of area median income (AMI). Alan said the increase from 20% to 25% raises the affordable unit count from 27 to 33 and would add the full project to the town's Subsidized Housing Inventory, producing a net SHI increase described in the discussion as significant for compliance with Massachusetts General Laws (Chapter 40B thresholds were referenced in the meeting).
Trustees attached multiple conditions and negotiation points to the subsidy: the special permit and the development agreement must include monitoring and certification terms, a local workforce preference (subject to state limits), veteran preference as allowed under state law, firm anti-short-term-rental restrictions, and specific protections governing any future conversion from rental to ownership (affordable ownership at 80% AMI in perpetuity and limits on subletting). Staff said subsidy payments would be proportionate to building certificates of occupancy and requested that the project achieve initial CO within three years to avoid open-ended commitments.
A motion also authorized a working group with counsel to finalize the agreement terms. Trustees emphasized the trust would review the final agreement before the chair signs any document and asked legal staff to ensure conversion and monitoring language is enforceable.
The motion to allocate funds and authorize the working-group negotiation passed unanimously; staff said the working group will report back before any final signature.
