NAHANT — Officials are seeking residents’ input on “the vision and direction of housing policy” in town with a survey asking for feedback on proposed recommendations to a housing plan and potential opportunities to expand housing in town.
The survey was launched following a forum held by the town and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. It serves as an extension of that event, in which officials laid out plans for construction of new housing and sought feedback from residents. The process will ultimately lead the town to the development of a five-year housing production plan.
That plan, according to the town’s website, will “address unmet housing needs of low- and moderate-income residents in the community [and] influence the type, amount, and location of mixed-income and affordable housing.”
The plan would also set a goal for annual housing production in an effort to increase the amount of affordable housing in town to bring Nahant up to the state mandate that 10% of total year-round housing units be affordable. Doing so would prevent the town from being subject to the state’s Chapter 40B law, which allows developers to construct new affordable housing under flexible rules.
Another major component of the plan would be aiding the town in complying with the MBTA Communities Law, which requires communities to zone multi-family housing near rapid-transit stations. Nahant, because of its adjacency to Lynn, is subject to the law.
The survey, which was posted to the town website on June 27, is open until July 31.
“Your survey answers will help the town identify opportunities [to] expand and diversify Nahant’s housing stock while also increasing affordability for people at a range of incomes,” the website reads.
Michelle Capano, the chair of the Housing Plan Advisory Sub-Committee, cited potential new developments on Greystone Road behind the Housing Authority building and another lot on High Street as key areas the sub-committee and other officials are seeking feedback on.
“It’s just really important for the Nahant community to really have a voice in this, and to help affect change in the community,” she told The Item last month.
