NEWBURYPORT — A combination of rising housing prices and an aging population has Mayor Sean Reardon spending more of his time looking for new places for people to live. With that in mind, the mayor will preview the city’s new housing production plan during a community public forum on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
The housing production plan presents a blueprint for how to provide more local affordable homes. It also looks at local housing trends, as well as opportunities to address shortfalls while recommending forward-thinking strategies.
Seeing that the state requires the city update the document every five years, Newburyport has been working with the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission to make sure it’s in compliance.
The plan will need to be approved by the City Council but Mayor Sean Reardon said he hopes to submit it to the state in October.
The event will take place at the Senior/Community Center beginning at 7 p.m.
Converting publicly owned property into affordable housing, expanding zoning to allow more multifamily and accessory housing units, and expanding state Affordable Housing Trust support programs will be among the issues Reardon expects will be discussed.
“We have all of these things happening in the city around housing and I think it’s so important,” he said.
The mayor also said he expects to talk about the upcoming initiatives he’s working on to create more housing options.
“We have a lot of people who are aging in their homes but their homes are becoming worth more and more and more — so, they’ve really got no place to go,” he said. “To solve that problem, you’ve got to find some ways to create some housing around here.”
One initiative involves zoning and developing the 5-acre Waterfront West property owned by New England Development (located between Michael’s Harborside restaurant and the Tuscan Sea Grill Restaurant & Bar) for a mixed-use development.
Mayoral Chief of Staff Andrew Levine said that project would include retail, along with the potential for a portion of affordable housing as well as a hotel.
Reardon has been talking to Port Plaza Shopping Center owner Richard Kaplan about turning the former Kmart site there into a “friendly” affordable housing project.
Last month, the city also received a trio of plans from prospective developers looking to turn the former Brown Elementary School on Milk Street into senior affordable housing.
“If we can get the Brown School into senior affordable housing, affordable housing at the Kmart and, if Waterfront West comes in and they can do more affordability as part of their project, that will at least give people some options,” Reardon said. “Right now, a lot of people don’t have options.”
Susanne Cameron, who co-chairs the Newburyport Affordable Housing Trust, said she plans to attend the upcoming public forum because the city also has an over housing problem.
“You have folks who are empty nesters that now live in two, three, four bedroom homes,” she said. “Because of interest rates or lack of supply of more affordable, smaller homes, there’s really nowhere to go.”
This leaves people to stay put in their homes and “tough it out,” according to Cameron.
“If somebody’s on a fixed income, it’s really hard to make the move or even make home improvements for that matter. You’re kind of stuck,” she said. “So, we’re very aware that we need a different kind of housing stock here. Mainly more modest homes and condominiums.”
The Newburyport Affordable Housing Trust helps develop and preserve affordable homes in the city.
Cameron also said she believes the city should be more responsive to residents in lower income jobs as well.
“You’ve got folks who are working in the schools or at the hospital or in the service industry downtown. They really have nowhere to go right now,” she said. “I see three or four posts a week on Facebook from people looking for apartments at the $2,000 or $2,500 level.”
Accessory dwelling units, (sometimes known as in-law apartments) Cameron said is one option to address the housing crisis.
“Folks can supplement their income by building a small apartment, either attached to a house or over a garage where they can house somebody with a modest rent, while helping them pay their mortgage and taxes,” she said. “That’s something that’s exciting. If it takes off, it could be a real boost to the affordable housing arena.”
Last November, the city also hosted a public housing forum along with the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission.
Reardon said the well-attended gathering provided the city with plenty of new data points.
To see the Affordable Housing Trust website, go to: www.cityofnewburyport.com/affordable-housing-trust.
Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Newburyport for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at jsullivan@newburyportnews.com or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.