Discussion of the first draft of the Housing Production Plan (HPP). HPP is a document created to meet Commonwealth requirements and to make grant applicants eligible.
HPP was prepared by the AHT consultant.
Areas of disagreement seemed to be with respect to building affordable housing that was either for rent or for sale. Whether zoning changes are required. Concentration of affordable or work force housing, that is, concentration on the “missing middle.” Also apparent disagreement about applying to Community Preservation Committee for funds.
Overview: there are 1638 houses in Stockbridge — 811 occupied by full-time residents; 827 by part-time residents.
The median cost of a house is $575,000 which is above the amount most full-time residents could pay.
The full-time population had decreased 15%; student population decreased 29%; median age has risen from 40 — 61, and as a function of an ageing population, there are more deaths than births in Stockbridge.
The character of Stockbridge has always been open space and single-family homes, however, some argued for denser rental properties such as apartment buildings.
Some mentioned changes in zoning to allow more density — Stockbridge currently has 1-, 2-, and 4-acre zoning. Others explained that is unnecessary because 40b allows builders to ignore zoning when building affordable housing.
Finally, Stockbridge met the requirement for affordable housing, but middle-income folks including those who work in town, cannot afford to buy a house here.
There was a long discussion about possibilities and opportunities for planning and implementing the creation of more housing.
A second draft of the HPP will include the new ideas. There was no mention of when the HPP will be shared with the public.
AHT also discussed sources of money. Patrick White suggested a $1 tax to go directly to AHT on every ticket sale in Stockbridge. With Tanglewood, theater, and cultural venue tickets, White estimated a million tickets per year at $1 each.
Editor’s Note: 40B “enables local Zoning Boards of Appeals to approve affordable housing developments under flexible rules if at least 20-25% of the units have long-term affordability restrictions.”
