Thoughts on Affordable housing
According to Canton’s Select Board approved Master Plan and Housing Production Plan, our Town would benefit from a greater mix of housing choices to meet the diverse needs of Canton households. For example, retired couples as well as young professionals, single or married, are increasingly not interested in four-bedroom single family homes on large lots. On the contrary, they are looking for fewer bedrooms and smaller footprints that have lower maintenance and energy costs, and maybe, that allow seniors to safely age in place. These needs align with zoning changes approved by May 2024 Town Meeting to allow more housing density in an area surrounding the MBTA commuter station, as well as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as a matter of right. A greater mix of housing choices, as well as greater density in certain areas of town also has the potential to provide more customers for Canton’s downtown district, making for a more vibrant downtown that powers economic growth and quality of life.
Currently, Canton is credited with a percentage of “affordable” housing units on the Commonwealth’s SHI (Subsidized Housing Inventory) equal to 12.1%. “Affordable” in this context means that the home’s sale or rental price is below market, and available only to persons whose household income is below certain amounts. For example, a Canton household of one person may have household income up to $91,400 and still qualify for an “affordable” unit. This means that many of Canton’s municipal employees – including police, fire, teachers and others – could be eligible for a home that allows them to live closer to where they work.
Canton’s affordable housing percentage fluctuates. For example, as the number of single-family homes increases, the town’s affordable housing percentage decreases – because the denominator in the ratio of affordable housing units to total number of Canton homes increases and the numerator remains the same. Moreover, while some legal restrictions to keep homes’ pricing below market are permanent, other restrictions were put in place only for a term of years, for example 20 or 30 years. As these restrictions expire, there is the potential for these housing units to convert to market rate, and Canton’s affordable housing percentage would decrease as a result.
To account for these potentials – with the overall goal of maintaining the Town’s affordable percentage of at least 10% - Canton has a bylaw that requires that for any new multi-family housing development of at least 4 units (for example, a building that includes condominiums, apartments or town houses), 10% of the total newly constructed units must be permanently restricted at “affordable” (ie, below market) prices.
I acknowledge the realities and data reflected in our Master and Housing Production Plans, and I agree with past Town Meeting decisions to adopt zoning requirements to meet our current and future needs.
