City to Set Aside More Affordable Housing; Thanks Seymour for Initiating 9/11 Observance

The City Council Urban Affairs Subcommittee will soon consider a change in the definition of "affordable housing units" as it pertains to developers who build rental apartments or single family subdivisions within the city.

Currently, the city is obligated to maintain an inventory of 10 percent of affordable housing units as defined by the state Dept. of Housing and Community Development's Subsidized Housing Inventory.

According to attorney Arthur Bergeron of 53 Red Spring Road, two changes are in order. The first change stipulates that for any future
housing developments within the city, 15 percent of the total units must be designated as "affordable housing units" and be counted in the state's Subsidized Housing Inventory.

If a developer files for a comprehensive permit to build rental apartments, and sets aside 15 percent as affordable units, then all of those units in the complex are considered "affordable housing units," under the state's Subsidized Housing Inventory rules.

Bergeron said the state included all units as "affordable" to encourage more rental properties to be built.

The second, which is not related to the first change, would give the City Council the option of charging a developer who does not set aside 15 percent of the housing units that are built either on-site or have comparable housing off-site, an amount equal to building those
affordable units.

If a developer does not want to set aside affordable units, then the City Council, as an order of condition under the special permit process, could mandate that developer pay for the cost of providing those units, even though they will not be built.

If money is collected for this purpose it would be paid to the Marlborough Community Development Authority.

Bergeron said the changes were filed by legislation introduced by Ward 4 Councilor Robert J. Tunnera.

At-Large Councilor Patricia Pope asked Bergeron if Marlborough
currently holds the requisite 10 percent quota of affordable housing units.

Bergeron said the city was one of several cities that may dip under the 10 percent mark. But he said official figures have not yet been released.

Pope said she is looking forward to having more discussions about affordable housing units in the Urban Affairs Subcommittee meetings.

In other business the City Council literally applauded the efforts of Ward 5 Councilor Robert M. Seymour for putting together a special tribute and remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks at the Walker
Building grounds on Main Street.

Seymour initiated and planned the event which featured 3,000 United States flags on the lawn, which were borrowed from the Marlborough Italian-American Veteran's Club, which purchased the flags.

He said he had a lot of help from police Chief Mark Leonard, Fred Flynn of the fire department, Gary Brown and John Ghilione in
figuring out the logistics before the event, as well as many, many others who volunteered and/or participated in the ceremonies.

Seymour said everyone was united around a common cause … and there were many parents and grandparents who brought their children and grandchildren to the event to tell them what happened 10 years ago and the significance of so many flags.

"It was all about educating and remembrance," Seymour said.

"It was a very powerful and moving ceremony and I've gotten tremendous feedback all weekend," Seymour added. "I think it was a very special occasion and I'm very pleased the way it went off and very grateful for all the help."

The program will be posted on the city web site and the Marlborough Cable Channel will air the Sept. 11 event several times over the next few weeks so that others may watch.

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