Affordable Housing Trust considers smaller project for 25 Worcester Street

The Affordable Housing Trust is now considering a much smaller project for 25 Worcester Street as the town nears a milestone: the recently proposed Village at Grafton Woods as well as a mixed-use project at the former DPW site could potentially bring housing stock to 10 percent affordable.

“It may lend itself to a smaller project,” Chair Bruce Spinney said.

Back in June 2020, Town Meeting voted to transfer 25 Worcester Street, a town-owned property that has sat vacant since the 1980s, to the Affordable Housing Trust to use for senior housing. In the year since, neighbors spoke out against the concept, citing traffic, the historic nature of the neighborhood, and concerns about density. No formal proposal has been made for the property.

There’s also been progress on the affordable housing front.

The Village At Grafton Woods, a transit-oriented mixed-use project at 8 Pine Street, will have 25 percent of its housing —  79 units — designated as affordable. A second project recently awarded to its developer, GSX Ventures, will transform the former DPW at 27 Upton Street and 17 Upton Street into another mixed-use complex.

If the Affordable Housing Trust works with GSX to bring its proposed 10 percent of units (14) designated as affordable to 25 percent, or 39 units, that would bring the town’s Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) to 10 percent. 

That magic number protects the town from Chapter 40B. which allows developers to override local zoning bylaws in order to increase the number of affordable homes in municipalities where less than 10 percent of the housing is defined as affordable.

“It gives the town some maneuverability,” Spinney said.

As for 25 Worcester Street. the deed is now restricted to senior housing. Trust member Ed Prisby, who originally sponsored the Town Meeting petition signing over the land, said a seniors-only project may not be counted as affordable housing unless that demographic is identified as a chief concern for the town. He also noted that the state is concerned about discrimination against younger families.

The town is holding a “listening session” on 25 Worcester Street on August 25, 7 p.m. at the Grafton Public Library. 

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