Should affordable family housing be a primary focus for Cohasset in the near future, and if so, why and how?
Meeting affordable housing requirements is a particular challenge for Cohasset, which has experienced increases in home prices driven by its desirability amongst young families, coastal setting, and small town appeal. Limited land area for development, lack of sewer access, and restrictive zoning laws have all contributed to increasing prices while discouraging the development of mid-sized, more affordable, starter homes. This challenge isn’t new to Cohasset; historically roughly 3% of the housing stock met affordability standards. Today, Cohasset just meets the 10% requirement set by MGL 40B with the inclusion of Avalon (25% of the units meet affordability requirements).
The commitment of the Community Preservation Committee, rebirth of the Affordable Housing Trust, and the proposal to establish an affordable housing steering committee are positive steps, but to believe that we can meet this challenge through public funding alone is a mistake. Encouraging private development of affordable housing should be included in our master plan.
Smart growth – development of affordable housing, balanced by close oversight to ensure the protection of land use and retention of our distinctive small town quality – should be a community focus. The proactive creation of affordable housing ensures that the future development of Cohasset remains in our control. The Smart Growth Overlay District (MGL 40R) provides a blueprint to meet these goals in a strategic manner while also including a mechanism to offset costs associated with educating new students.
The development of affordable housing also benefits the community through increased diversity, recruitment and retention of high quality town employees, and economic stability. A Smart Growth district is one option, among many, that should be considered as we strategically plan for our future.