LYNN — The city of Lynn, in partnership with the Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND), has adjusted its housing production plan following a robust public comment period that called for more affordable housing in future developments.
The city’s consultant, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) announced the final version of the city’s housing production plan, Housing Lynn: A plan for inclusive growth, last week, which has to receive approval from the Lynn Planning Board and City Council.
The original drafted plan included a target of 15 percent of new development consisting of affordable units for households that have incomes at or below 80 percent of the area median income (AMI).
After public comments expressed that these numbers were not receptive to local need, the target was adjusted to 10 percent of new development consisting of affordable units for households with incomes at or below 50 percent AMI, and 5 percent will be for households at or below 80 percent of AMI.
“The city of Lynn is committed to providing safe, inclusive, and affordable housing for all Lynn residents,” said Mayor Thomas M. McGee. “Housing Lynn: A plan for inclusive growth provides the city with a comprehensive framework and actionable recommendations to make that goal a reality. It is the result of many months of intense collaboration and community input.”
The public comment period for Housing Lynn lasted three weeks from Jan. 7-28 to allow the public enough time to review the plan and submit written comments. The plan received a total of 96 emails and four comment letters, including responses from the Greater Lynn Chamber of Commerce, Harborlight Community Partners, Lawyers for Civil Rights and the North Shore Realtors.
Twenty-six respondents also sent a letter drafted by the New Lynn Coalition, while another advocacy group, Lynn United for Change, had 30 respondents that sent a letter, along with a comment letter sporting 282 signatures.
Housing Lynn will establish a vision for Lynn that includes safe, affordable and accessible housing, as well as new housing that will meet the needs of Lynn residents and increase the strength and vibrancy of neighborhoods, city officials said.
The document was drafted by the MAPC in partnership with the city and LHAND with the assistance of the community’s input received at workshops, forums, online open houses, and during the most recent public comment period, a process that spanned more than a year.
The new plan includes a robust assessment of housing needs in Lynn, a plan vision and goals and an analysis of development constraints and opportunities. It will also consider the city’s current housing toolkit and recommended actions to help advance affordable housing production, preservation, and tenant protections.
Although the plan does not set a specific target for units for households with incomes at or below 30 percent of AMI, the city made a commitment in the document to support production at that affordability level with current resources and future opportunities. The plan also indicates that the new affordable housing must be appropriate for a range of household types, from families in need of multiple bedrooms to seniors.
LHAND Executive Director Charles Gaeta said that the recommendations in the plan will produce an infrastructure with lasting changes that will stabilize and protect residents as investments in housing development in Lynn continues.
“The creation of this plan was an enormous undertaking and I am appreciative of all those that participated and contributed,” he said. “We heard from many passionate residents and this is their plan.”
The community events that contributed to the plan brought more than 650 people together throughout the project’s timeline. The process also included a development webinar featuring Chrystal Kornegay of MassHousing, Andrew DeFranza of Harborlight Community Partners, and Matt Zahler of MPZ Development
According to the MAPC, the city’s plan will meet all the requirements of a housing production plan and set a clear agenda for housing development and housing policy over the next five years.
Jeffrey Weeden, the manager of planning and development at LHAND, said that Housing Lynn establishes a much-needed infrastructure and a road map for housing policy in Lynn.
“The city will be able to continue its efforts to usher in new development while also putting in safeguards for current residents that are more vulnerable to this challenging housing market,” he said. “The recommendations in the plan are best practices in many other Massachusetts communities and through extensive public input have been prioritized for our community. “
The plan must first be approved by the City Council and Planning Board in order to be submitted to the state for approval as a formal housing production plan. The plan will be discussed and voted on in upcoming public meetings.
The final plan can be viewed at mapc.org/housinglynn.
