Affordable HousingTown of Norfolk

April 2007

Presented by Affordable Housing Study Committee

When and by whom was the Committee Established?

The Committee was created by the Board of Selectmen in November of 2006.

The Committee members were appointed after an interview process by the Selectmen in January of 2007.

Who are your Committee Representatives?

Sarah Del Mastro (Chairperson), Precinct 2Rob Garrity, ZBA

Steve McClain, Planning BoardBill Crane, Housing Authority

Bill Crump, Precinct 1Jeanette Wood, Precinct 2Dan Winslow, Precinct 3

The committee consists of seven members including representatives from the Housing Authority, ZBA, and Planning Board, in addition to four community members representing each of the four voting precincts.

Website: www.virtualnorfolk.org

What is the Mission of the Committee?

To promote and support the creation of affordable housing which is in keeping with the goals and objectives of the town.

To serve as the Town Liaison with our Town Boards and Committees concerning planning and implementation of Town affordable housing goals.

To interface with municipal, State, and Federal agencies to ensure Norfolk remains at the forefront of affordable housing initiatives.

To serve as an educational resource to Town residents, Town officials, and future developers.

To establish a comprehensive affordable housing plan for the Town of Norfolk which meets/exceeds State guidelines.

Affordable housing is housing which is reserved for, and affordable to, families or individuals who make less than 80% of median household income for the area.

The 80% Income Guidelines for 2007, adjusted according to the number of persons in the household are as follows:  

Current Qualifying Income Levels

1 PERSON: $46,3002 PERSON: $52,950

3 PERSON: $59,550 4 PERSON: $66,150

What is affordable housing?

Why do we need Affordable Housing?

Help protect against large aggressive 40B Developments

Benefits of Affordable Housing:

Provide homes for those who need it, including:

Elderly parentsYoung families of Norfolk residents

Children who are ready to ‘leave the nest’

So those who work in Norfolk can live here.

Teachers, municipal workers, firefighters, police, etc Workforce is part of the community

Shorter commuteSaves gas

Reduces traffic

Units can be developed by:The Town of Norfolk,

Private developers,Public-private partnerships

Collaboration with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity.

What types of housing can be ‘Affordable’?Affordable Housing can include housing for a variety of age groups and family styles:

StudentsSinglesCouplesFamiliesSeniors

Housing units can be:New or existing

Homeownership or rental, Single or multifamily,

Condominium or townhouse, Group homes,

Accessory apartments, Many other variations.

How much affordable housing do we have?

111 units = 3.89% of total housing stock

Where are the units?Hillcrest Village (64)

64 one bedroom units of ‘Section 667’ State-aided housing for elderly and disabled Residents come mostly from Norfolk and surrounding towns. Wait list approx 15 individuals (2-5 years).

Pine Knoll (20)8 two bedroom and 12 three bedroom units of Section 705 State-aided Family Housing.Wait list of 63 for 2-bed units, 30 for 3-bed units (2-5 years).

DMR/DMH Homes (16)16 units.

Town Center Condominiums (11) Currently under construction in 2006 and 2007. 4 two bedroom units ($153,280) age-restricted (55+).7 three bedroom units ($168,609) will be sold to any appropriate size eligible household. These townhouse condominiums will be part of a forty-four unit development.

What do we have “In Process”?Norfolk Landing

7 three bedroom, single family homes Part of a 28 unit housing development. Comprehensive Permit has been approved ‘with conditions’.

How does Norfolk compare to other communities?

Town

% of Affordable housing to Total

Housing StockDover 0.9%Sherborn 2.3%Mendon 2.6%North Attleboro 2.8%Hopkinton 3.0%Wayland 3.2%Bolton 3.3%Holliston 3.5%Millis 3.5%Sharon 3.7%

Norfolk 3.9%Foxborough 4.0%Sudbury 4.6%Wellesley 4.7%Wrentham 4.7%Hopedale 4.8%Medfield 4.8%Medway 5.3%Walpole 5.8%Norwood 6.0%Plainville 6.0%Milford 7.0%Westwood 9.4%Franklin 9.8%Bellingham 10.1%Framingham 10.2%Mansfield 11.7%

How much affordable housing does Norfolk need?

How are affordable housing units created?

The State mandates that all communities statewide allocate a minimum of 10% of the community’s housing inventory to affordable units.

With a State approved plan, a Norfolk can avoid contentious 40-b projects if they meet 0.75% of the annual plan goal for affordable units (presently about 21 units).

Without a State approved plan, Norfolk can avoid a contentious 40-b project if they meet 2% of the annual goal for affordable units.

Norfolk can create affordable housing via new construction or renovate or convert existing houses or other buildings:

40B developments via ZBAInclusionary zoning via Planning BoardTown sponsored units including rehabilitation, conversions

and new development

Example 1

20 unit rental +1 rehab

Example 2

2 x 20unit 40B (25% affordable) + 10 unit rental + 1 rehab

Example 3

100 unit 40B - equates to 25 units of affordable housing

Example 4

100 unit rental - equates to 100 units affordable units

Unit configuration examples

What does higher density housing look like?

Specific Affordable Housing in Massachusetts

What does Affordable Housing look like in Norfolk?Town Hill Project

(11) affordable townhouse condominiums will be built in Norfolk during 2006 and 2007 and will be sold to first-time homebuyers with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income.

Norfolk developed an Affordable Housing Plan (Oct 2006).

The Plan is based upon the Housing section of the our Community Development Program (June 2004).

The Plan defines goals and provides supporting strategies, to achieve and maintain 10% affordable housing in Norfolk, in a way that is in keeping with the needs, strategies and objectives of the Town.

The current Affordable Housing Plan has been APPROVED by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, but is a working document and will be revised as necessary in keeping with feedback from the Town, State and residents.

Introduction to Norfolk's Affordable Housing Plan

Provides information, guidance and direction, to residents, town boards and officials, and developers.

Helps demonstrate that Norfolk is being proactive in ensuring that the town is able to offer affordable housing alternatives to current and prospective residents.

In conjunction with the actual production of a planned amount of affordable housing units, having an approved Affordable Housing Plan can help protect the Town against “aggressive” 40B projects.

What does an AHP do for Norfolk?

Affordable Housing Plan

Norfolk, Massachusetts

October 2006

Presented by Affordable Housing Study Committee

This plan is arranged in sections as follows:

1. Introduction to Norfolk

2. Introduction to Affordable Housing

3. Development Constraints

4. Statistics and Projections

5. Total Housing: Gaps and Projected Needs

6. Affordable Housing: Current, Planned, Projected

7. Affordable Housing Goals and Objectives

8. Strategies and Next Steps

9. Description of Use Restrictions and Other Considerations

Plan Layout

Section 3: Development Constraints

General Constraints

Transportation NetworkWater ServiceSewerEnvironmentalStorm waterLandPublic SafetySchool System

Constraints to Affordable Housing

ZoningPublic Opinion

Section 4: Norfolk Statistics and projections

Developed land doubled from 1971 (1,791 acres or 18.2% of the total land area in Norfolk) to 1999 (3,549 acres – more than 36% of the Town's land area).

Meanwhile, population increased by 127% (from 4,656 to 10,560) between 1970 and 2000.

Residential land increased by 1,706 acres. This increase accounted for almost all of the newly-developed land and half of the total developed land.

Almost 40% of this increase in residential land was in the category of low density residential (lots larger than 1/2 acre).

Section 4: Statistics and projections (continued)

Population (continued)

Population GrowthExplosive growth throughout the 1970’s and 1980’sSharp drop in growth during the 1990’s. 13.9% growth rate still greatly exceeded the statewide rate of 5.5%.

Norfolk Population(Town Clerk's Records)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004

Year

Population

Population

Section 4: Statistics and projections (continued)

Population (continued)

Population Growth and Projections by Age

Population Projections to 2010, by Age Cohort

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

0-4 5-9 10-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75-79

80-84

85+

Age Groups

No. of Individuals

2000 Census

2010 MAPC

2010 MISER

Section 4: Statistics and projections (continued)

Housing Characteristics

Structural Design

TYPES OF HOUSING - NORFOLK

Single Family –Detached

Single Family –Attached

Duplex

3 or 4 Units

5 to 9 Units

TYPES OF HOUSING - MASSACHUSETTS

Single Family –Detached

Single Family –Attached

Duplex

3 or 4 Units

5 to 9 Units

10 to 19 Units

20 or more Units

Mobile Homes

Boat RV Van etc.

Section 4: Statistics and projections (continued)

Housing Characteristics (continued)

Type of Family

85.6% of households are families. 50.5% are families with children under 1878.1% are married couples. 14.4% non-family households10.8% are individuals living alone.

Number of Rooms

30.4% of units have 6 or fewer rooms compared to 68.7% of units in all of Massachusetts. 69.6% of units have 7 or more rooms versus only 31.4% in Massachusetts as a whole.

Median number of rooms is 7.7 in Norfolk while it is 5.5 in Massachusetts.

Section 4: Statistics and projections (continued)

Housing Characteristics

Building Permits(1997-2002) 207 building permits for single-family houses, an annual average of 35. 2002-June 2006 143 building permits, annual average growth of 30 units.

Age of Housing/Housing Growth

Before 1939 1940-1959 1960-1969

1970-1979

1980-1989

1990- Mar2000

470 274 311 569 776 461

Section 4: Statistics and projections (continued)

Lottery Participation for Town Center Condominiums (August 1, 2005)

3-bedroom, family(Total of 7 units)

5 units – local preference

2units – all applicants(local + non-local)

3+ household size

12 26

2person households

6 11

1 person households

4 10

TOTAL applications

22 47

2-bedroom, 55+(Total of 4 units)

3 units – local preference

1units – all applicants

(local + non-local)

TOTAL applications

7 14

Down Payment Assistance Program (DPAP) participation

Coinciding with the availability of the Town Center Condominiums, the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) processed applications from 10 qualified applicants for (5) grant awards for $20,000.

1990-2005

142.7% increase in median sale price of housing units. 128.4% increase in median sale price of single family homes. Estimated 75.3% total increase in Norfolk’s median family income.

2005

Low income - $42,050 or less (50% of the 2005 Area Median Income (AMI) of $84,100).

Moderate income - $42,050 to $66,150 (80% AMI). Middle income households $66,150 to $126,150 (150% AMI). Norfolk’s median income ($121,165) remains in the middle income

category. A Norfolk family with this income can afford the median sales price

of a single-family home of $475,000.

Housing is considered affordable when it requires less than 30% of its occupants’ income.

19.2% of homeowners and 18.8% of renters devoted 30% or more of their income to housing in 2000.

Section 5: Total Housing: Gaps and projected needs

Section 5: Total Housing

NORFOLK HOUSING SUPPLY-DEMAND GAP

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Less than $10000$10000-$14999$15000-$24999$25000-$34999$35000-$49999$50000-$74999$75000-$99999

$100000-$149999$150000-$199999

$200000 +

NUMBER OFHOUSEHOLDS

NUMBER OF HOMESAT AFFORDABLEPRICE

NUMBER OFAFFORDABLE RENTALUNITS2

Gaps and projected needs - Year 2000

6. Current, Planned and Projected Affordable Housing

Current: Norfolk has 111 units of affordable housing which is equivalent to 3.89%.

Planned: Norfolk has several possible projects under consideration.

Projected: An increase the town’s percentage of affordable housing at a rate of 0.75% (21 units) of ’Total Housing’ (2861 units) annually, until the amount of affordable housing units equals, or exceeds, 10% of Total Housing.

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

(US Census Year)

Subsidized Units

84 100 111 132 153 174 195

%Aff Hsg - SHI

2.9 3.5 3.9 4.6 5.3 6.1 6.8

Norfolk Affordable Housing Plan Goals

Goals and objectives of the 2004 Community Development Plan.

Goal 1: Create several residential development areas that would permit a higher

density of housing units of smaller unit size better suited for youthful and elderly lifestyles.

Goal 2: Promote affordable housing at a ratio of at least 10% of all new dwelling units in private developments, and continue to increase such housing by adding to the public housing stock so that 10% of total housing stock is affordable.

Goal 3: Protect critical natural resources and restrict these sensitive areas from intensive residential development

Goal 4: Protect commercial areas in order to maximize economic development potential and fiscal stability.

Goal 5 Develop a Town policy for working with developers seeking a comprehensive permit, and designate areas of Town best suited for such projects.

8.1 Strategies

Encourage additional age-restricted housing

Continue to encourage development of a mixed-use Town Center

Adoption of inclusionary zoning bylaw

Develop additional public housing

Develop criteria for Local Initiative Program (LIP) projects

Review/Revise Affordable Housing Development Provision of Zoning Bylaw

8.2 Next StepsThe Town will form an Affordable Housing Committee to take the lead in supporting and implementing the Affordable Housing Plan including:

Stay informed at local/state/federal levels.

Communicate and liaise with other Town Boards, developers and residents.

Promote, advocate and educate on affordable housing issue

Establish criteria to evaluate affordable housing proposals.

Involvement in affordable housing proposals.

Identify land for affordable housing.

Identify public and private resources, including funding sources.

Maintain list of developers and tradesmen to build / renovate affordable housing.

Maintain list of potential homeowners.

Facilitate lotteries.

Update and revise Affordable Housing Plan as necessary.

Review land use regulations and zoning bylaws that impact the development of affordable housing.

9. Restrictions and other considerations

All units will carry a deed restriction

Other conditions may be placed upon the units such as 70% local preference and phasing in of a project.

Other factors which will be encouraged by the Town include: Smart-Growth, Architectural Design, Storm water Management, Trees/Open Space, Energy Efficiency, Mitigation

Where is the plan located?

Town Clerk’s office (reference copy)

Library (reference copy)

Download from Affordable Housing Committee’s webpages on the town website: www.virtualnorfolk.org