The Wellesley Affordable Housing Trust—previously the Wellesley Housing Development Corp.—this past week held a public meeting with a consultancy that will work with the town to create a 5-year strategic action plan for affordable housing (see Wellesley Media recording of April 10 meeting).

The plan—not to be confused with the complementary Strategic Housing Plan or Unified Plan (at some point to be replaced by a Comprehensive Plan)—costs $30k and is being paid for from the trust’s existing funds. The trust’s mission is “to provide for the creation and preservation of affordable housing in Wellesley for the benefit of low- and moderate-income households” (Annual Town Meeting approved the trust’s creation last year).

Consulting firm JM Goldson started off by doing consultancy things, asking members of the now full Affordable Housing Trust board to introduce themselves and share a word or phrase about housing here (“complicated,” “important,” etc.). JM Goldson, led by Jenn Goldson, previously worked with the town on its Housing Production Plan.

Board members were earlier asked to fill out a questionnaire to help guide the plan’s direction, and cited a desire for a focused plan, and one that syncs with the Wellesley Housing Authority, which manages public housing properties on Barton Road and elsewhere. The Housing Authority has gone through a period of instability, and is in the midst of arranging a management agreement with the Cambridge Housing Authority.

A past feasibility study looking at possible redevelopment of the 16-plus-acre Barton Road public housing property proved to be largely a bust, but was cited as a resource for JM Goldson to at least look at as the town takes a possible fresh look at how to maximize this large property with just 88 units on it. Trust board chair Micah O’Neil noted that the organization needs to proceed somewhat cautiously, as this Lower Falls area of town is ripe for all sorts of other development with key commercial properties changing hands. “How do we smartly develop Barton Road but also keep in mind what else is happening in that part of town?” he said.

Wellesley currently meets the state’s guidance for having at least 10% of housing stock deemed affordable, though the town keeps a sharp eye on that percentage in the face of any possible new multi-family housing developments that could lack an affordable component. The state’s Affordable Homes Act, curiously, doesn’t include an affordable unit requirement… so possible development on the MassBay property designated as surplus by the Commonwealth could skew Wellesley’s affordable housing percentage. This MassBay situation “will hang over everything for the moment” in terms of development in that part of town, said Kenny Largess, the Select Board’s liaison to the trust, though he also said the Barton Road property provides the greatest opportunity for consensus on affordable housing development in town and could offer “the biggest bang for the buck.”

Goldson raised the issue of how to proceed with the trust’s action plan given the town is also awaiting its start on a broader comprehensive plan (Annual Town Meeting voted against funding yet another pricey study for now, with some portion of Town Meeting looking for Wellesley to first hire a new planning director). Executive Director Meghan Jop said “If anything, this plan I would argue is going to inform the Comprehensive Plan in terms of some of the goals and strategies for affordable housing.”

The questionnaire brought to light possible obstacles to affordable housing plans in town, including state funding rules that limit redevelopment and resident fatigue around multi-family housing discussions despite a general acknowledgement that Wellesley needs more housing diversity.

Thinking creatively will be required to come up with new affordable housing opportunities in town. One idea would be to create a land trust that will enable developers to seek more types of funding for projects.

A working session involving the consultancy and members of Wellesley boards/committees/staff with a say on housing matters is slated for May. From there, the consulting firm would come up with a draft plan in June and a final product in July.