LaFebvre says plans for property have not changed

By Sarah M. Corigliano

Assistant Managing Editor

EAST LONGMEADOW According to East Longmeadow resident and developer Jay LaFebvre, his plans and ambitions for the former Community Feed property have not changed.

"Nothing has changed," he told The Reminder last Tuesday. He added that he initially tried to move his project forward one way, which was through the town in terms of asking voters for a zone change to allow residential apartments at his proposed retail/commercial/residential complex. That article did not pass at May's Annual Town Meeting. However, he said there has always been another option for him and he has decided to use it.

"I'm not deterred by the naysayers, you get that no matter what you want to do," he added. "They [actually] encourage me."

The option he is exercising begins at the state level at MassHousing, which he explained is a private bank whose source of money is through Treasury Bills. He said the government has charged MassHousing to issue "letters of applicability," to allow affordable housing projects to move forward in Massachusetts communities.

MassHousing is LaFebvre's first step. If he receives a letter of applicability, he will then bring his project to the town's Zoning Board of Appeals. According to LaFebvre, the Planning Board would have the same amount of influence on the project as a regular citizen at a public hearing.

He also pointed out that all of his dealings with the town would again be public meetings.

"Nothing will happen behind the scenes," he said. "It will all be open and posted."

The site plan review and other common development negotiations would be conducted through the Zoning Board of Appeals, he said.

Chapter 40B, LaFebvre explained, requires each Massachusetts community to have at least 10 percent of its housing to qualify as "affordable housing." LaFebvre explained that East Longmeadow currently has less than eight percent affordable housing and that the 10 or so units in the 50 or fewer apartments he has proposed would help the community become compliant with Chapter 40B.

He added that, although there may be a misperception that he is seeking "Section 8 housing," or another form of government subsidy for this project, there will be no tax money involved.

He also said that "Section 8 housing is a misnomer."

"There is no such thing as Section 8 housing," he explained. He said that Section 8 assistance vouchers are issued to people but follow them to whatever rental property/apartment they live in or move to, provided they still qualify.

As dictated by MassHousing and Chapter 40B, LaFebvre said the 25 percent of his property which would be defined as "affordable housing" is not what rumors have indicated.

He said MassHousing requires him to offer 25 percent of his apartments at rates affordable for individuals and families making 80 percent of the area's median income.

For the Springfield area, according to information provided to LaFebvre by MassHousing, the household median income is $61,500 a year. For one person, he said, the amount would be $35,450 a year.

To illustrate the types of jobs which pay those types of salaries LaFebvre obtained copies of teachers', fire fighters' and DPW employees' salaries from Town Hall.

For example, his copy of the teachers' contract shows a Step 1 teacher makes $35,825 a year, which would qualify such a person to live in what would essentially be a rent-controlled apartment. Under Chapter 40B, LaFebvre explained that he could not charge more than $940 a month for a one-bedroom apartment, and not more than $1,140 a month for a two-bedroom. The apartments which would not fall under the Chapter 40B requirements would be priced at market rates.