The Newton Housing Partnership is a group that seeks to promote the creation and preservation of affordable housing in Newton. They act as an advisory body to the City of Newton on matters of housing.
“We take on an active role in meeting with developers,” Marva Serotkin, chair of the organization, said.
The members of NHP are appointed by the mayor and come from different professional backgrounds, but all with an interest in housing.
“I spent my career in healthcare, and in the latter part of my career, I became aware of the connection between health and housing,” said Serotkin.
She previously worked on creating housing for people with disabilities.
What is Affordable Housing?
Newton has an inclusionary zoning ordinance, which requires new developments to have between 15 to 20 percent of units be affordable.
Affordable housing is a specific legal term that refers to housing people making a certain amount of the average median income (AMI).
It is separate from public housing or Section 8.
In Newton, buildings with 7-to-20 units must have 15 percent of housing be affordable to people making 50 to 80 percent of the area median income. This is $57,150-$85,730 for one person, $65,300 to $104,480 for two people, and $73,450 to $117,520 for three people.
Buildings with more than 21 units, in addition to that 15 percent, must also have at least 2.5 percent of units be affordable to people making 80 to 110 percent of the AMI. That is up to $125,730 for one person, $143,660 for two people, and $161,950 for three people.
Current efforts
The city is in the process of reviewing the ordinance, and it is up for renewal. The Newton Housing Partnership will be in the foreground of this review. Serotkin said many developers have stepped up and been very willing to work with them.
One project she’s excited about is the West Newton Armory redevelopment. This is a former Massachusetts National Guard building that the state sold to the city for a dollar, under the condition that it become a 100 percent affordable housing project. The old building will be preserved and a new building will also be added. It will have 43 units, five of which will be fully accessible for people with disabilities.
Construction is set to begin in spring 2025, with the project move-in ready by summer 2026. More details about it can be found on the project website.
Current hurdles
These days, developing affordable housing seems more difficult than ever.
One issue is that high interest rates have led to higher construction and land costs, and this is having an impact on building new housing everywhere.
“It’s a national problem, it’s not just a Newton problem,” said Serotkin.
One way the city is trying to mitigate that is with public funding, particularly through the Newton Affordable Housing Trust.
There are two upcoming proposals that will be discussed at the November meeting. One is additional money for the Coleman House renovation project, which serves low-income seniors. The other is aid for the West Newton Family Navigation Center, which seeks to convert a former nursing home into transitional housing for families.
Serotkin invites people who are interested in housing issues to come to the Newton Housing Partnership meetings. The next one is Sept. 24, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m. A Zoom link will be posted on the city website closer to the date.
The Newton Affordable Housing Trust also has public meetings, and the next one is at 4 pm on Sept. 17 in Room 204 in Newton City Hall. There will also be a Zoom option. More details can be found here.