5/15/2001 AFFORDABLE HOUSING Minutes

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7 ,I ■ The waiting lists for all forms of housing have grown increasingly long at the Sandwich Housing Authority. As of June 30, 596 persons and families were seeking housing or housing subsidy with the SHA. ■ Many seniors are living in deplorable and wretched conditions in non living spaces of their children's homes in Sandwich and are on long waiting lists for housing. ■ Sandwich's proximity to Boston, Providence and the 495-belt make it an attractive commuter community for executives who can afford expensive housing. This has served to drive up real estate values. The robust economy has provided an incentive for many property owners of rental housing to "cash in" and sell their dwellings. In most cases, rental properties tum over into owner occupied housing. • Neighborhoods such as Lakewood Hills, Canterbury Estates and Town Neck, which used to be considered "affordable"in the 70's and 80's are now becoming premium priced neighborhoods. Many of the smaller homes originally built in these areas are, and have been, enlarged to accommodate upscale larger-sized families. i • Sandwich Housing Authority has lost,mostly through the sales of homes, 20 units of private rental housing for participants in subsidy programs over the last 3 years and has gained only 4 new rentals for a net loss of 16. This loss represents almost 50 percent of its private rental stock available for program participants. There are no easy, quick or inexpensive solutions to the housing crisis. Tonight we are limiting our immediate recommendations to three simple requests. The first two do not require any financial investment. Adopting these first two recommendations will provide us direction to begin the process of ensuring that Sandwich is a community that cares about all its residents, both current and future. The third recommendation, if approved by the voters and which we hope the Board will support, will allow the Town to have a dedicated source of revenue to build, acquire and modernize housing to support its working people. Recommendation # 1. We ask that the Board of Selectmen take a moral position tonight. Leadership on this issue is critical to a comprehensive and mutual solution. We ask that the Selectmen adopt the issue of Affordable Housing as a Top Priority for the Town of Sandwich. Recommendation #2. We ask that the Board of Selectmen ratify our Mission Statement and Charge of Duties so that we may continue to move forward aggressively with your full support. (see page 3)