Affordable Housing Trust (AHT), March 4, 2024, Hybrid

AHT had discussed and approved a playground to be built at Pinewoods in the footprint of the old playground for a total cost of $40,000 - $10,000 from AHT and $30,000 from Town of Stockbridge. However, the plan presented was $46,000 and much larger — 3000+ sq. ft. rather than 1000 sq. ft. Pinewoods is the property of Construct Inc. which would have to approve the new plan. A meeting was planned.

AHT member Janet Ackerman reported the draft of the Housing production Plan (HPP) is complete. It is 100 pages long. The next steps are to present to other Town boards, committees, and commission, have another public meeting to share the plan and receive public comments, incorporate the new comments, and submit the finished copy to the Commonwealth for review and approval.

The Community Housing Forum will be on Thursday, March 28th at 6 pm in Town Offices. You can read the draft HPP here.

The discussion of a proposed vegetable garden at Pinewoods was as follows: AHT proposed a vegetable garden at Pinewoods, however, AHT cannot go forward without Pinewoods approval. The AHT grant application submitted to the Fitzpatrick Foundation to fund the project was turned down because Pinewoods did not approve, nor did Pinewoods submit, the proposal and only the owner can.

There was a brief discussion about applying for grants to offset cost of heating, install solar in Justice 40 communities as well as apply for community block grants — all to enable people to afford to stay in their homes.

Photo: Lionel Delevingne