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BRPC outlines housing action plan and CDBG grant progress to Sheffield selectmen
Summary
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission senior planner Brett updated the Sheffield Board of Selectmen on Aug. 5: the town’s CDBG grant has one contract signed, about $712,000 remains, eight participants are active and BRPC recommended CPA outreach, an affordable housing trust, receivership guidance and utility assessments to support housing production.
Brett, a senior planner with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and the town’s CDBG grant administrator, told the Sheffield Board of Selectmen on Aug. 5 that the grant is moving forward and that BRPC has proposed a multi-part housing action plan for the town.
“Right now we have a total of eight participants in the program, which is a really great number,” Brett said, adding that “12 potential applications” are in the pipeline. He reported one contract has been signed for about $37,000 and said “we have about $712,000 remaining.”
The BRPC presentation combined near-term grant updates with a list of recommended steps Sheffield could take to increase housing capacity. The main recommendations were: schedule Community Preservation Act workshops ahead of the November vote to increase public outreach; set aside local funds to leverage outside investment; begin the process of establishing an affordable housing trust; assess public-utility capacity (including drinking-water and septic options) before advancing development; and produce a Sheffield-specific receivership guide tied to the Attorney General’s receivership program to return nuisance or abandoned properties to productive use.
Brett said the BRPC document also recommends a focused evaluation of town-owned parcels to determine environmental suitability and zoning constraints before pursuing development. He emphasized the value of regional partnerships, noting that Berkshire County organizations can support project development and that Sheffield does not need to act alone.
Selectmen thanked BRPC and the Housing Commission for drafting the action plan and said they would take the recommendations under advisement. The board did not take any formal binding votes on zoning or funding at the meeting; instead, members directed staff and BRPC to continue outreach and next-step planning.
The BRPC presentation framed the recommendations as practical steps to help Sheffield attract developers and make the most of available grant funds; BRPC staff said they would continue to assist the town as priorities are refined.
