Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Finance panel asks select board to add ‘attainable’ housing for middle‑income households to strategic priorities
Summary
The Finance Committee voted to recommend adding ‘attainable housing’ (middle‑income ownership) and greater emphasis on aging‑in‑place to the town’s strategic priorities, saying recently unlocked state funding makes this an opportune moment.
The Great Barrington Finance Committee recommended that the select board and town manager add "attainable housing by middle‑income households" as a distinct objective alongside existing affordable and workforce housing priorities and to emphasize aging‑in‑place in the strategic plan.
Committee member S3 (presenting his housing notes) said the town recently adopted a seasonal-community designation that unlocks state funding that could support attainable‑homeownership strategies. "Add attainable housing by middle income households as distinct objective alongside the strategic plan's existing affordable and workforce housing strategy," he proposed. Several members said the addition would recognize the needs of long‑time residents who can no longer maintain houses and young families priced out of the town.
The motion was moved, seconded and approved unanimously. Members requested additional data on county and state eligibility and emphasized the recommendation should remain flexible so staff and select board can craft specific programs during implementation.
Next steps: the committee will forward the recommendation and suggested language to the select board and invited town staff to prepare supporting data for later meetings.
