Posted on June 27, 2016
MHP Executive Director Clark Ziegler (far left) presented the Town of Concord with a Housing Hero Award on June 15. Representing Concord were (l-r) Marianne Nelson of the housing authority, Phil Posner of Concord Housing Development Corp., Charles Phillips of the Concord Housing Foundation, Town Manager Chris Whelan, Planning Director Marcia Rasmussen, former housing trust member Toby Kramer, Senior Planner Lara Kritzer and Linda Escobar, chair of the housing authority board.
DEVENS, June 27, 2016 --- MHP recognized the Town of Concord this month with a Housing Hero Award for its long history of supporting affordable housing and zoning that preserves open space.
The town was recognized on June 15 at an awards luncheon at MHP’s 10th annual Housing Institute, a two-day training conference for local officials and volunteers. Each year, MHP recognizes communities and individuals for excellence in affordable housing and zoning that promotes housing and land use.
Concord was not only honored for the housing it has created, but also for the dedication its citizens, local officials and many volunteer boards have exhibited through the years.
“Concord has all the ingredients for success,” MHP Executive Director Clark Ziegler told the audience of over 100 local officials at the June 15 awards luncheon at the Devens Commons Center. “It has a significant number of people in town who are committed to housing. It has strong town manager form of government, a select board that sets a vision, dedicated volunteers and an experienced planning department led by Marcia Rasmussen. They have a philosophy and the capacity to get things done.”
In the past 10 years, Concord has:
• Approved four Ch. 40B comprehensive permit totaling 521 units.
• Has OK’d seven planned residential developments totaling 67 units, including Concord Riverwalk, which has been nationally recognized for its design and preservation of open space.
• Created or preserved 100 units through its housing authority or non-profit development corporation.
• Offers a home rehab grant program that helps residents under 100 percent of area median income.
• Has enacted numerous zoning amendments to require more affordable housing and to control the loss of existing starter homes to mansionization.
Ziegler also noted several reasons why Concord’s been so successful:
• To stay current with what’s been built and what’s needed, the town has updated its housing plan three times in 10 years.
• In 2004, Concord was one of the first towns to adopt the Community Preservation Act.
• It has a strong housing authority that develops housing.
• The Concord Housing Foundation raises money for its housing trust.
• The Concord Housing Development Corporation develops and preserves housing on behalf of the trust.
In accepting the award for the town, Town Manager Chris Whelan said, “When it comes to housing, our residents speak up early and often. One example is the year Town Meeting voted in a requirement that whenever the town acquires land, someone from housing has to have a say on whether the land can be used for housing. In Concord, housing always has a seat at the table.”
Concord was one of four to receive Housing Hero Awards. Also honored were the Town of Needham Connie Kruger of Amherst and Paul Ruchinskas, former housing specialist for the Cape Cod Commission.
About MHP: MHP is a self-supporting public agency that works with state government, civic and community leaders to increase the supply of affordable housing across the Commonwealth. It provides advice and technical assistance to communities, housing authorities, long-term loans for multi-family housing and partners with banks to offer the ONE Mortgage Program for first-time buyers.