NAHANT — The Housing Plan Advisory Sub-Committee and Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) will host a public-engagement forum at 7 p.m. Thursday at Town Hall to solicit feedback on the town’s affordable-housing plan.
The sub-committee has been working with the MAPC since last fall to create a plan for the development of affordable housing in Nahant.
In March, the town held a similar public-engagement forum to share the data collected from its town-wide housing-needs assessment and gather input from residents on their vision for housing growth. At this next forum, the public will learn about the town’s current plans for building new housing and provide their feedback.
“There is a need [for affordable housing] here. It’s not just senior housing, but even housing for working people. Middle-class people need a place to live, and we don’t do a great job at that when the median home price is $950,000 and rising,” Sub-Committee Chair Michelle Capano said.
In an effort to create a more economically-diverse housing market, Capano said the town has worked with the MAPC to study the town’s land inventory and highlight areas where affordable or multi-residence homes could potentially be built. She said the town wants to hear the public’s feedback on potential housing projects on Greystone Road behind the Housing Authority building, or another lot on High Street.
Currently, Capano said the town needs 84 more housing units to be compliant under Section 3A of the Commonwealth’s Zoning Act, which dictates how many multi-family housing units communities in close proximity to MBTA stations are required to contain. Capano said through public feedback, the town will be able to better address its population’s housing needs.
“We don’t need the plan necessarily ratified with the residents in town, but what we do need is their feedback to help us provide the direction of what they see as the greatest need. Then, we can definitely influence that with all the other stakeholders,” Capano said.
For those who can not attend the seminar in-person, Capano said the town will launch an online open-house survey Thursday night, when members of the community can provide feedback remotely.
“It’s just really important for the Nahant community to really have a voice in this, and to help affect change in the community,” Capano said.
