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Candidates favor housing-first approach for the MCI Concord redevelopment
Summary
When asked whether the former MCI Concord site should prioritize commercial tax revenue or affordable housing, most candidates said housing — a mix of incomes — should be the primary use, with transit‑oriented design and traffic management considered.
Candidates at the DEI Commission forum largely favored housing as the priority for the former MCI Concord redevelopment, with a repeated refrain: aim for a spectrum of housing types and incomes rather than 100% market-rate or 100% subsidized units.
One candidate said: "The answer is housing and lots of it and diverse income eligible housing," adding that a mix that is neither all luxury nor all deeply subsidized is the pragmatic aim. Several panelists suggested state tools (including 40B) and creative approaches — transit‑oriented development, a Route 2 commercial buffer and a mix of affordable and workforce housing — to produce both new homes and revenue for town services.
Candidates also flagged practical constraints: traffic capacity on major roads near the site, long timelines for developing state‑gifted parcels, and the need to avoid unexpected school enrollment impacts. One participant cited typical 40B requirements (about 25% affordable) and suggested pursuing a higher share — roughly 30% at 80% of area median income — if feasible.
The forum produced no binding land-use decisions; candidates emphasized that any MCI plan must balance housing, revenue and infrastructure constraints and should be developed with community engagement and transit considerations in mind.
