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Concord's housing roundtable model urged as a template for Sudbury
Summary
Keith Bergman, chair of Concord's Affordable Housing Trust, told Sudbury's Housing Trust that Concord's cross-board roundtable and coordinated use of CPC funds helped advance projects and that Sudbury should involve its Select Board early and consider local revenue options such as the LOHA transfer fee.
Keith Bergman, chair of the Concord Affordable Housing Trust, told the Sudbury Housing Trust on Jan. 8 that Concord's quarterly Housing Roundtable'which invites the Select Board, Planning Board and Community Preservation Committee'helps the town coordinate implementation of its five-year Housing Production Plan and avoid last-minute conflicts that can derail projects.
"We expanded membership to include the Select Board and others to coordinate implementation and align town leadership," Bergman said, describing the roundtable's role in advancing 24 strategies in Concord's plan. He recounted a project that failed after Select Board support waned, which he said cost Concord the opportunity to remain above 10% affordable housing by deed restriction following the 2020 census.
Bergman said Concord remains above 10% on paper but estimated only about 7% of year-round housing is deed-restricted and that the town needs roughly 200 more deed-restricted units to reach a true 10% threshold. He pointed to the MCI Concord reuse as a potential large-scale opportunity if town entities coordinate across permitting, funding and public messaging.
Bergman described how Concord channels Community Preservation Committee (CPC) funding into its housing trust and supports the Local Options for Housing Affordability (LOHA) real-estate transfer fee to create recurring local revenue'Concord's estimate for that fee is roughly $2 million a year. He also recommended vetting proposals together so the public and Select Board hear a coordinated position from housing entities.
Why it matters: Trust members said Sudbury is preparing to expand housing tools and that early Select Board involvement and an organized cross-board approach could reduce delays and improve chances for funding at Town Meeting. Sudbury Housing Trust members discussed beginning outreach and organizing a Sudbury roundtable to mirror Concord's structure, with staff asked to propose dates and invite relevant boards and committees.
What happens next: The Trust asked staff and the RoundTable working group to propose a March timeframe for a Sudbury event and to consult boards and committees before finalizing invitations and agenda.
