Board members recap regional housing session: 40Y starter-home districts and 40R smart-growth rules

Board members summarized a regional housing session that highlighted two Massachusetts policy approaches: 40Y (starter-home zoning districts intended to allow smaller single-family starter homes at higher density) and 40R (smart-growth districts allowing a broader set of housing types, including multifamily and accessory units). Members said presenters described program mechanics and incentives but urged the board to review the slide materials to confirm technical requirements.

Presenters included a local Habitat for Humanity representative (the board later reported contact with Caroline Reed, executive director of the local Habitat organization) and a modular-construction firm from Andover called Reframe, which outlined product models and a project in Devens. Members discussed whether Habitat could partner on town-owned property and whether modular units would meet local preferences and maintenance standards.

Board members noted two practical program details from the session: municipal incentives for towns that adopt the zoning (presenters referenced a sliding range of incentive funding in the slide deck) and that units created under these models do not automatically count toward the Subsidized Housing Inventory unless the project includes explicit income-restricted units (the board noted a 10% income-restricted requirement for certain 40Y projects of a given size). The board agreed to request and circulate the presenters’ slides and follow up on whether municipal water is needed for program eligibility.