Government

Watertown Looking into Creating Rental Assistance Program

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Watertown Town Hall

Watertown officials will be exploring how the Town may create a rental assistance fund to help people who need help with security deposits in order to afford an apartment or other rental housing. The proposal came from the the Council’s Human Services subcommittee, which met more than a dozen times over the past year to look for ways to increase the amount of affordable housing in Watertown. The Council approved the recommendation to ask the Planning Department to draft a proposal for tenant-based rental assistance program, or programs, including how it could be appropriately funded and staffed. Councilor Tony Palomba, who chaired the Human Services Committee, said that Waltham has a rental assistance program. “The program is very successful in Waltham, and I am sure it will be successful in Watertown.”

40B Project

Developer Eyeing Spot on Major Watertown Intersection for 40B Housing Project

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An image from Google Maps showing the proposed site of a 113 unit 40B housing project at the corner of Coolidge Hill Road and Arlington Street. A developer has started the process to build a Chapter 40B residential project on a major intersection in East Watertown. Under the state law to encourage the building of affordable housing, 40B projects do not have to comply with many local zoning rules. The project is proposed for 19 Coolidge Hill Road, on the former E.H. Hinds Atlantic Plant property. The proposal, according to information submitted to the MassHousing Partnership (which oversees 40B projects), would have 113 rental units on the 0.9 acre lot, and would have 28 affordable units.

Government

Council Subcommittee to hear About Accessory Dwelling Units

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The Town Council’s Human Services Committee will hold the next in the series of meetings on affordable housing. This meeting will focus on accessory dwelling units. The Human Services subcommittee sent out the following information:

The Committee on Human Services will hold a meeting on Wednesday, April 24 at 7:15 p.m. in the Louis P. Andrews Conference Room on the Third Floor at Town Hall. We will continue our discussion of affordable housing . The Committee will hear a presentation on Newton’s Accessory Dwelling Units program from James Freas, Deputy Director of Planning and Development for the City of Newton.

Government

Affordable Housing Efforts in Watertown to be Addressed at Two Meetings

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The Town Council’s Committee on Human Services announced two upcoming meetings on the subject of affordable housing. Meeting on Affordable Housing – Tenant Based Rental Assistance

The Committee on Human Services will hold a meeting on Thursday, April 18 at 7:15 p.m. in the Louis P. Andrews Conference Room on the Third Floor at Town Hall. We will continue our discussion of affordable housing . The Committee will hear a presentation on Waltham’s Tenant Based Rental Assistance program from John Shirley, Housing Specialist for the City of Waltham. Meeting on Affordable Housing – Accessory Dwelling Units

The Committee on Human Services will hold a meeting on Wednesday, April 24 at 7:15 p.m. in the Louis P. Andrews Conference Room on the Third Floor at Town Hall.

Government

Town Council Subcommittee Seeks Ideas from Residents on Affordable Housing

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The Committee on Human Services will hold its seventh meeting on the topic of Affordable Housing in Watertown on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7:15 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of Town Hall. At the meeting will discuss what the Committee has learned at its previous meetings and what possible programs Watertown might implement. In addition, the Committee is hoping to hear from residents about their thoughts and suggestion on how Watertown can increases its stock of affordable housing. Please consider dropping by Thursday night to share your ideas in an informal setting.

Government

Council Subcommittee Looking at Successful Examples of Affordable Housing

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The Town Council Committee on Human Services will hold its sixth meeting on the topic of affordable housing on Wednesday, November 7 at 7:15 p.m.

The theme of this meeting is “Solutions/Case Examples.” The meeting will take place in the Lower Hearing Room on the ground floor of Town Hall. The guests presenting at the meeting include:

Kelly Donato, Assistant Housing Director, at the City of Somerville; Cliff Cook, member of the Watertown Housing Partnership; State Senator Will Brownsberger; and Rachel Heller, Executive Director of the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association. For questions or more information contact call 781-644-3525 or email
councilorpalomba@gmail.com

Government

Affordable Housing in Watertown On the Agenda for Council Subcommittee

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The Town Council’s Committee on Human Services provided the following announcement:
The Town Council’s Committee on Human Services will continue its discussion of affordable housing at its meeting this Thursday, October 4, at 7:15 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers on the second floor of Town Hall. 
The theme for this meeting is “Affordable Housing Development” and will include presentations by Jennifer Van Campen, Executive Director of MetroWest Collaborative Development, State Representative Michael Connolly, and Steve Magoon, Watertown’s Assistant Town Manager and Director of the Department of Community Development and Planning. Town Councilor Tony Palomba chairs the Committee on Human Services. Councilor Caroline Bays is the Committee’s Vice –Chair, and Councilor Susan Falkoff is the Committee’s Secretary

Government

Town Council Subcommittee Holding Discussion on Affordable Housing

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The following was provided by Town Councilor Tony Palomba, chair of the Council’s Committee on Human Services:
The Town Council’s Committee on Human Services continues its discussion of affordable housing in Watertown with a meeting on Thursday, Sept. 6 at 7:15 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers.The theme of the meeting is “Statewide and Regional Organizations and Resources”.  The Committee will hear from two guests -Sue Connelly of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership and Karina Milchman of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. The Committee will be holding additional meetings on the topic of affordable housing in October and November.  The schedule is listed here. 10/4           Affordable Housing Development       

Jennifer Van Campen, MetroWest Collaborative Development

Representative Michael Connolly, Real Estate Transfer Fee

Steve Magoon, Assistant Town Manager and Director DCDP

11/7           Solutions/Case Examples    

Kelly Donato, Assistant Housing Director, Somerville

Cliff Cook, Watertown Housing Partnership

Rachel Heller, Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association