Housing study finds more affordable housing is wanted

Date: 2/22/2010

Feb. 22. 2010

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



HAMPDEN -- Starting in July 2008, Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds were used to fund a study to determine if and what kind of affordable housing was needed in Hampden. The results of that study and its survey were compiled in November 2009 and were recently released.

The survey was conducted by D&V Associates, a firm based in South Attleboro, Mass. Several "key members of the community" were interviewed by the firm, according to the survey results. The majority of the information gathered came from a paper survey that was mailed to each residence in town via the Scantic Scribe, the senior center's newsletter.

Approximately eight percent of Hampden's population is over 65 years of age, and while only two percent of the town's residents replied to the survey, most of them were over age 55 and it was found that the need for affordable housing, especially for senior citizens, is continuing to grow.

The Hampden Housing Authority currently operates and manages 59 affordable housing units in Centennial Commons, of which the majority are one bedroom.

Only two point two percent of the population had incomes below the poverty level in 2007, but 11.2 percent of men ages 65 to 74 in Hampden are at or below the poverty level -- the state average for this age group is just over 6 percent.

The demand analysis found there is a need for more affordable housing alternatives than are presently offered for the senior population; however, there is no available funding to pursue more housing.

"We have no immediate plans to move forward with the results of the study," Chris Evans, executive director of the Hampden Housing Authority, said.

Evans added that she thought the survey was an important piece to complete to see what the needs of the town were and that the survey results were not surprising.

D&V Associates concluded that the Hampden Housing Authority pursue the development of a senior citizen affordable housing plan, focusing first on the development of affordable rental housing, then the development of a rental/purchase program with the private sector, and then the establishment of a program for senior homeowners that would allow them to receive a property tax break for voluntarism in the community.

"The key issue for actual development of new housing will be funding, while other portions of a plan could go into effect based on changes to town bylaws," the survey stated.

Evans commented that development for housing options like these is dependent upon private developers or government grants and availability of land.

"I think the study was a good use of Community Preservation dollars," Evans said. "Now the focus is on moving forward."