Housing Board

Meetings

• 7:30 pm
• 2nd Thursday of every month
• Town Hall
  29 Middle Road
  Boxborough, MA 01719

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes

Members

• Channing Wagg, Chair
  Term expires: 2024
• R. Allen "Al" Murphy
  Term expires: 2026
• Diane Friedman
  Term expires: 2025
• Delores Fromer
  Term expires: 2024                                                                                                               
• Jessi Robinson                                                                                                                     Term expires: 2026
• Ron Vogel
  Term expires: 2025
• Leslie Fox, Ex-Officio
• Dave Koonce, Ex-Officio

Overview

At the Special Town Meeting on October 30, 2000, the Affordable Housing Study Committee delivered their Final Report (PDF) and the voters approved a General Bylaw (PDF) establishing the Boxborough Housing Board (BHB) to provide structure and mechanisms to meet Boxborough’s affordable housing needs.

The Housing Board is vested with the responsibility for the production and management of affordable housing stock in Boxborough. Production includes both construction of new units and conversion of selected existing units of housing to create a balance of mix deed-restricted affordable housing addressing both the state mandate under Massachusetts General Law (MGL) Chapter 40B and the Affordable Housing Board’s Long Range Plan (PDF) as approved at Town Meeting according to bylaw.

The Board is required to use the public hearing process to develop affordable housing plans and a set of policies to guide their implementation.

Responsibilities

As defined in the bylaw the key responsibilities of the Housing Board include:

• Responsibility to bring to Town Meeting for voter approval a proposal or set of proposals for an affordable housing long-range plans.
• Responsibility to develop specific affordable housing implementation and funding plans and bring them to Town Meeting for voter approval.
• Responsibility for managing Town-initiated development of affordable housing. This includes both broad program management duties as well as project-level oversight of the Town’s specific affordable housing development activities.
• Responsibly for real estate transactions pursuant to both unit conversions and new construction under Town programs.
• Stewardship and utilization of designated Town funds and lands for affordable housing purposes.
• Management of affordable housing cooperative projects with commercial and non-profit development partners.
• Acting as the Town’s agent on private affordable housing projects.
• Conducting the affordable housing lottery in compliance with MGL Chapter 40B and Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) regulations. This also includes the development of a policy defining Boxborough’s criteria for the local preference.
• Monitoring and managing the resale of deed-restricted housing to income-qualified buyers.
• Preparation and submission to the Select Board of the annual affordable housing certifications report in compliance with DHCD guidelines.

Updates

• Volunteers Needed for Stow Road Concept Development Committee (PDF).
• The Town’s Housing Production Plan (PDF) was approved by DHCD and became effective June 2, 2015.
• The Town has also engaged Metro West Collaborative Development, a non-profit community development corporation, to work on affordable housing issues in the community.

Contact

If you have questions about affordable housing in Boxborough please contact Metro West CD (PDF) or Town Planning Alec Wade.