As you may know, for many years Sherborn's official number of affordable housing units in the State's Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) stood at 34. This included 24 units at Woodhaven (6 are affordable but in rental projects, all the units are counted for purposes of the SHI) and 10 at Leland Farm. This represented 2.3% of total housing units based on the total number of units identified in the 2010 U.S. Census of 1479.
We have made significant progress recently. With the approval of the 120-unit apartment complex called Coolidge Crossing, we have achieved "safe harbor" for 2 years because we increased our stock of affordable units by more than 2% in one year (and we get credit for projects approved even before they are built, but we lose that credit if they are not issued building permits within 12 months). Furthermore, that approval puts our SHI percentage at 10.41%. However, that
is based on the 2010 U.S. Census count of 1479 units. Our certification letter from DHCD
says that the certification is good until June 17, 2023 unless we lose
units (i.e. we haven’t issued a building permit for Coolidge Crossing by then).
The 2020 U.S. Census housing units figures are out. It shows
Sherborn with 1562 total units. I am not sure when DHCD will start using that as the
baseline, but our current level of 154 units would put us at 9.86%. I just
submitted an additional 15 units ( 8 from The Fields, 5 from Whitney Farm and 2
from 59 North Main) to be approved. Upon approval of those, we will have 169 units bringing us to 10.82%. We also have another 15 units in the pipeline (7 each from Whitney and
Meadowbrook Commons and 1 more from 59 N. Main) which would bring us to 184 and
11.78%.
Not to jump too far ahead, but with 184 units, if we had no
additional affordable units, we could end up with 1840 total units in the 2030 Census
and still be at 10%. That would be an increase of 278 units from the 2020
Census. Coolidge Crossing and Meadowbrook Commons would account for 187 units
so that leaves room for 91 units elsewhere. The increase between 2010 and 2020 was 83, and that included Abbey Road and part of Whitney Farm.
The affordable housing bylaw that was approved at the 2020 Town Meeting requires that 15% of new housing developments with 6 or more units be affordable (and it requires a payment to the Affordable Housing Trust for units under 6 and for fractional units). That will ensure that we keep pace and not fall below 10% for the foreseeable future.
