MONTAGUE — The new resident-led Montague Housing Coalition discussed the current state of housing affordability statewide and locally, as well as opportunities for housing advocacy in the five villages, during a kick-off meeting on Wednesday.
The Citizens’ Housing & Planning Association (CHAPA)-supported coalition is led by Steering Committee members Jenna Weld, Stacey Langknecht and Derek Birr, with support from Sadé Ratliff, a CHAPA Municipal Engagement Program associate. The team shared a PowerPoint presentation on housing affordability before group sessions allowed the roughly 30 attendees to discuss their housing experiences and connect with neighbors at The Brick House Community Resource Center.
Weld explained that the coalition arose as part of Montague’s Municipal Vulnerability Planning (MVP) 2.0 grant program. During community surveys, addressing housing conditions and costs for renters were identified as priorities.
Ratliff said that, for her part with CHAPA, she offers support to the Montague coalition after connecting with Montague residents via the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, which was already involved in the rezoning work for the 9-acre former Farren Care Center that lay the foundation for future requests for proposals (RFP) to develop the lot.
In seeing housing advocacy as a priority point for the community, Weld said she and other residents, including Birr and Langknecht, began the coalition to get discussions started about potential solutions. Per the presentation, the goal of the coalition is to use a combination of education and advocacy to “expand housing options, increase housing availability and preserve the welcoming nature of Montague, including all five villages.”
Some of the housing opportunities in Montague include the rezoning of the Farren, future Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity housing on First Street, and a Unity Street house that is being redeveloped by Rural Development Inc. For the Farren lot, the coalition had appealed to Town Meeting members to pass the rezoning that would allow for housing.
Members of the coalition outlined costs for homeownership and renting. In Montague, median home prices have increased by 30% in five years, and for someone to afford a home in town, a person would need to make at least $95,000 per year.
Data across the state indicates an all-time low vacancy rate for all types of housing, and limited housing supply drives higher costs and intense competition.
Other areas of discussion related to how housing instability impacts a person’s health and well-being, how housing status can impact a person’s employment opportunities and drivers behind the rising costs of housing.
After the presentation, residents formed groups to share with each other, and then with all attendees, some of the parts of Montague they appreciate, issues they’ve faced with housing in town and what the coalition should focus on.
Many of the participants shared their appreciation for the diversity of cultures and activities available in Montague, as well as the access to services in downtown Turners Falls that residents can easily walk to. Issues faced by both homeowners and renters include a lack of housing availability, rising costs and residents leaving Montague in search of more affordable housing elsewhere.
Two Turners Falls residents, Betty Tegel and Leonore Alaniz, said they were drawn to come to the Montague Housing Coalition’s kick-off meeting based on their volunteerism with CHAPA and the experiences they’ve had as renters in Turners Falls.
Tegel, a disability rights advocate and member of the Massachusetts Statewide Independent Living Council, said she appreciated the fact that the coalition brought up the statewide issue of housing access. She also emphasized a need for accessibility.
“My concentration is to build accessible housing from day one, with all the features, [like] grab bars in the bathroom, because as you age, you’ll need all those specifications,” Tegel said about her focus in housing advocacy.
For Alaniz, her motivation for coming to the meeting was from the “mounting insecurity” people are facing, especially those who rely on state and federal programs, like Section 8, to pay for housing. As a resident, she wants to understand whether rent increases reflect the increase in overhead costs for buildings, and how affordable housing is determined.
In reflecting on the kick-off meeting, Alaniz said the coalition fostered a safe space for discussion, allowing topics to be raised without judgment. She is hopeful that the Montague Housing Coalition can help address housing needs in town.
“The community involvement is very alive, and that’s what keeps me here,” Alaniz said.