Carolyn Mish details stalled and moving housing projects, sewer limits and zoning changes in Northampton

Carolyn Mish, introduced to the Housing Partnership, told members that high construction costs and labor shortages are keeping many approved projects from moving forward while a subset of affordable projects continue to proceed.

"Labor, the cost of labor, the cost of construction generally mean including the cost of labor, the cost of materials, tariffs, and interest rates are still a huge barrier for housing development," Mish said, summarizing why some multifamily developments are "frozen." She said tax-credit and other outside funding remain available for many affordable projects.

Mish identified several projects and location highlights: Valley's 60-unit affordable project on Bridge Road is being occupied; four Habitat for Humanity lots at the end of Cook Avenue are moving toward transfer; 30 units behind City Hall are targeted for very-low-income residents; and the city has a future potential of about 95 units at the former courthouse site under an RFP. Mish said she counted roughly 266 approved units that are stalled and about 189 affordable units actively moving forward.

Mish told the Partnership that infrastructure — especially sewer access — is a limiting factor on some parcels. She said a former state-hospital parcel that the city reauthorized for affordable housing lacks sewer service and that extending sewer down Chapel Street to Grove would be required for larger-scale development there. On a smaller Evergreen parcel, Mish said the city is using CDBG funds to design a shorter sewer connection to support one or two units.

She also reviewed recent and proposed regulatory changes. The city reduced required parking to one space per unit to lower project costs, and adopted an ordinance allowing historic accessory structures to be converted to residential uses; the planning board has already approved at least one such application. Mish previewed zoning amendments the planning board plans to bring to the legislative matters committee, including reduced side setbacks in urban residential districts (from 15 feet toward ~10–15 feet) to help build on 50-foot-wide lots and an exemption that would remove site-plan review for certain 2-family additions currently triggering review when a project exceeds 2,000 square feet.

Committee members pressed Mish on homeownership vs. rental. Mish said some multifamily projects can convert to condominiums over time and confirmed the 30-unit Con Street project was intended as ownership units. Members also raised lead-remediation and financing hurdles for family housing and discussed whether state programs (including a home modification loan) or local funds could support accessory dwelling units or owner-occupied conversions.

Mish closed by asking Partnership members for feedback and saying she would return as ordinances are developed and projects advance. She also urged coordination with planning board and council processes when items are ready for legislative review.

The meeting later received a brief Evergreen sewer update and adjourned.