Accessibility Tools
Greening Greenfield seeks out many resources and provides them at events such as our Energy Fairs or Mass Save workshops.
FRCOG’s Energy Information Link. (Franklin County Regional Council of Governments)
Check back here later for more Resources and Background Information. Go to Get Your Home Off Fossil Fuels to see the steps you can take.
Think about how you can use the mode of transportation that meets your needs and uses the least amount of fossil fuels
In 2021, the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) released a Regional Pollinator Action Plan. In addition to that plan, the FRCOG prepared detailed action plans for each of the participating communities in Franklin County. The Greenfield Pollinator Action Plan highlights two existing pollinator corridors:
Additionally, the major utility corridor through north Greenfield and the roadsides mown by DPW could be managed to provide habitat for wildlife, including pollinators. Parks and public gardens in downtown Greenfield are being developed into another corridor.
But maintaining these corridors won’t be enough if we don’t take steps to make sure they provide appropriate habitat for pollinators and other creatures.
According to the Regional Pollinator Action Plan:
Though Franklin County contains much forested land and many open fields, these are not necessarily maintained in a pollinator-friendly way. Pesticides and herbicides kill pollinators as well as targeted pests, and a field of only one crop does not provide the diversity of plants that pollinators need. Forests, while not considered the main target of the FRCOG plan, need to be managed with pollinator health in mind.
The FRCOG’s Pollinator Action Plans lay out ways to combat damaging management practices including the overuse of pesticides and herbicides. These damaging practices, along with the reduction of natural spaces, have led to a decline in pollinator insects.
River edges and woods in Franklin County provide habitat to support pollinators and other wildlife. Map Courtesy of the FRCOG.
Our Initiative: Building a Pollinator Corridor in Greenfield
Greenfield Public Pollinator Gardens, Volunteer Opportunities
This pocket garden is one of many pollinator gardens that extend the corridor through downtown Greenfield.
Read the Greenfield Pollinator Action Plan –>
and the Regional Pollinator Action Plan for Franklin County, both posted on the FRCOG website (frcog.org), to learn more about these efforts. –>
The need to find supportive shelter, food, clothing and other essentials is a year ’round activity. It is most acute in the winter, but hot summer days, weeks where rain is continuous and other such weather calamities all impact the day to day struggles of people who do not have homes. We continue to work on these concerns all year ’round.
Unfortunately, some of our neighbors are presently without permanent homes. 40 adults live at the Wells Street shelter (temporarily relocated to Arch Street while the new Wells Street Shelter is under construction) under the auspices of Clinical and Support Options (CSO). In December 2024, around 45 families were housed at the Days Inn under the auspices of ServiceNet. Another 15 or so families are at the Greenfield Family Inn also run by ServiceNet. For the last few years, these shelters have been full. As soon as someone leaves, a person or family on the waiting list takes their place. This situation is changing rapidly, especially in view of the current volatility. Housing Greenfield focuses on action before website updates. Please be patient with us.
In addition to the folks who are living in the shelters, there are a number of people who are living in tents (even in winter) around the area, living in their cars, or staying temporarily at a friend or family member’s home. All of these people fit into the category of unhoused residents of Greenfield.
Should you know of an adult/family who is looking to stay at a shelter, the best thing to do is contact CSO(adults) or ServiceNet (families) to get them into the system. CSO, Greenfield 413.772.6100. Service Net 413-587-7555.
Greenfield has demonstrated that it is a very caring community. A system has been created to assist individuals and families with funds for support and materials to assist with the cold or the heat. To make the system work well, we ask that you use the phone numbers in the previous paragraph to start the process….whether that be a person who needs a tent or a sleeping bag or someone who needs a shelter for the night.
The Three County Continuum of Care coordinates care provision for the unhoused population in Franklin, Berkshire and Hampshire Counties. They have a complete list of the services that might be needed and where to find them Three County CoC service list
The Three County CoC also provides us with statistics about the unhoused population so that we can develop services that meet the needs that are out there. You can find their data at CoC data.
In addition, we have other resources that can assist us in understanding what is happening with evictions and foreclosures. To get that information go to MHP housing stability monitor
And finally, 413Cares lists a variety of services in Western Mass (not Greenfield-specific).
Greenfield is a city with a growing population of people over the age of 65. We also have a significant number of people who are under that age but use wheelchairs, walkers, and other devices to assist them with their mobility.
We also have an aging housing stock which was not developed with disabled people in mind. Our older buildings often have many stairs, bathrooms that are narrow and do not have grab bars in key places, doors that open in a way that is difficult for someone using a mobility device to maneuver, etc.
As we consider the expansion of and retrofitting of Greenfield’s housing, we need to keep the question of accessibility at the top of our agenda.
Although we may think that we know what accessiblity means, it is important to recognize that there are technical definitions of what an accessible home should include:
“Accessible housing is housing that people with disabilities can easily enter and use. It has elements that people may need to live independently, like wider doorways, clear floor space for wheelchairs to move throughout the home, low countertops, assistive technology, and grab bars in the bathrooms.”
This general definition is a baseline for accessibility. But the goal of many disability rights activists goes beyond that to “universal design.” “Universal design is the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood, and used to the greatest possible extent by all people regardless of their age, size, ability, or disability. An environment (or any building, product, or service in that environment) should be designed to meet the needs of all people who wish to use it. It is not a special requirement, for the benefit of only a minority of the population. It is a fundamental condition of good design.”
Universal design is a concept in which products and environments are designed so that there is no need for adaptation or specialized design.
And there is a third accessibility definition that is important for us to understand. It is “visitability”. This refers to housing that is designed in a way that it can be lived in or visited by people who require accessibility. A home is visitable when it:
Why is visitability important? If you are disabled and are living in an accessible apartment or home, but your neighbors’ homes do not have these 3 basic aspects as part of their design, then you are unable to visit them with ease and dignity. This isolates the disabled person and robs them of a real sense of community.
We are pleased that developers of some of the newer housing in Greenfield are taking these issues into account. The planned developments at Wilson’s (now called The Putnam), 170-186 Main Street, and the apartments that will be part of the Wells Street Shelter complex, all will have accessible apartments. And the goal is to make as many as possible visitable.
There is, obviously, more work to do. Please keep this issue in mind when you attend Planning Board or Zoning meetings. While every building may not be able to meet the standards noted above especially when considering the restraints of making these homes and apartments affordable as well, the need for accessible and visitable housing is an important one that should be on our agenda.
For more information on accessibility, visitability and universal design:
Massachusetts Office on Disability https://www.mass.gov/info-details/disability-rights-access
Greenfield Commission on Disability Access Greenfield Commission on Disability Access
National Council on Independent Living https://ncil.org
Center for Excellence in Universal Design https://universaldesign.ie/about-universal-design
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has made a commitment to building more affordable housing through the Affordable Homes Act (AHA). This $5.16 billion law was passed in the summer of 2024. It is a bond bill which means that it allows the state to go into debt to provide these funds. The funds will be available over a 5-year period. The AHA also has a number of housing policy changes including Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) by right in single family residential districts.
It is a long bill with a lot of provisions, many of which Greenfield should use to its advantage. It includes provisions for regional equity. Translation: some of the money should go to Western Massachusetts. Because our developments are often smaller (therefore less cost effective) than those in other parts of the state, it has been more difficult for Western Massachusetts developers, profit and non-profit, to benefit from state housing funding programs in the past. The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) has heard us loud and clear on this, but the devil is in the details and we and our House and Senate delegation will be watching carefully where the funding goes.
The process for accessing these funds is through the One Stop process Community One Stop for Growth which allows a developer to use one application to apply for all the programs in the AHA. EOHLC reviews the application and applies it to the appropriate programs. It is, however, a long process.
Because Greenfield needs a great deal of affordable housing, funding through the AHA is essential. Our building costs are about the same as those of Eastern Massachusetts, but because our income levels here are relatively less, the rents/mortgages that people can afford to pay are also less. The subsidies that the AHA can provide make up the difference in the development of this new housing.
In addition to this funding, developers can also build the old fashioned way….get a loan from a bank or investors and build. It is faster but does not allow for the subsidies as part of the development process. Developers who go this route are, of course, able to rent to folks who have Section 8 or MRVP certificates (See Affordability section). If they go this route, it is likely that the building process will be a bit faster. They do have to rent to people under the HUD FMR (Fair Market Rents) guidelines 2025 FMR (Greenfield is on page 26). If their building costs are high, this may be difficult.
Transfer fee: There is also a future possibility of a “transfer fee.” This legislation would allow Massachusetts cities, towns and groups of cities/towns to enact a small fee on high-value real estate sales. The fee would go to funds designated to create and support affordable housing.
If you are seeking affordable housing, contact:
Greenfield Housing Authority https://www.greenfieldhousing.org/ look at the application forms section.
Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority https://fcrhra.org
Greenfield has a great many housing needs. We need affordable housing. We need market rate housing. We need public housing and privately owned housing. We need homes for first-time home buyers and homes for folks who need to downsize. We need rental housing and housing that individuals and families can own.
Our problem….we lack the housing that we need. Right now, Greenfield has a 0.1% to 0.5% vacancy rate. A healthy vacancy rate is between 5 and 7%. A healthy vacancy rate is one where people feel confident that, with some work, they can find housing that meets their needs and their pocketbook. We are not at that place right now.
And all of this fits within the context of affordability. (See Aspect: Affording It)
The median individual income of residents of Greenfield is $53,536. Following federal standards that 30% is the amount of your income that should be going to mortgage, taxes, insurance, electricity, and heat, a family at this income should be spending $1338.40 per month for those things. If the household had 2 wage earners making the median, they would be bringing in $107,072 and would be able to spend, using the 30% criteria, $2676.80.
The average real estate value of a single-family home in Greenfield is somewhere around $300,000. It fluctuates with the economy and the season. But it is safe to say that $300,000 is a good starting place. Greenfield Savings Bank is now charging 5.875% (12/2024) on a basic 30-year fixed rate First Time Home Buyer Mortgage. Using that number with the required 20% down, these are the amounts of mortgage, interest, taxes and insurance for a first-time homebuyer in Greenfield.
House price: $300,000
Required 20%: $ 60,000
Monthly payment: $1684 (Mortgage, property taxes, insurance). This does not include
heat and utilities.
Going back up to our individual calculation 30% of income, this is more than the 30% for a household with one median income earner. It can be handled by a 2 median income household.
When those $300,00 homes come on the market, they are snapped up quickly, because, as was mentioned, we have a .1% to .5% vacancy rate in Greenfield.
Greenfield has a wide variety of rental housing serving multiple needs. We have public housing units through the Greenfield Housing Authority. We have market rate rental apartments that are privately owned. They may be rented by people who just pay from their monthly paycheck or folks who pay part of the rent themselves and receive subsidies through Section 8 (the Federal government) or through the Massachusetts Residential Voucher Program (MRVP, the state). (See Aspect: Affording It)
While Greenfield’s population has remained between 17,000 and 18,000 people over more than the last decade, the composition of who lives in what kind of buildings has changed. Our population is aging. We have many seniors who used to have their 2,3 or more children living with them in the same house that 1 or 2 seniors are living in now. We have families who are doubling up in apartments that are too small for the 4 or more people living in them. We also have individuals “couch surfing” with friends or family because they cannot find a 1 room or 1 bedroom apartment for themselves.
The answer is, of course, build more housing. And that is happening right now. It just takes longer than we would like, especially if we need to make it affordable because it takes time to get the funding needed to make this all happen. (See Aspect: Funding It)
For more information about what is happening in housing being built or proposed, see our initiative Supporting Housing Development.
As land becomes available, private developers are building market rate homes for sale and some abandoned homes are being renovated through the Attorney General’s receivership program and the Greenfield Economic and Community Development Department.
So, there is a lot going on, but it all takes time and money.
For more information on the money part of the affordable housing equation see Funding It.
Also see Greenfield Economic and Community Development Greenfield Community and Economic Development and check out the Greenfield Housing Study Greenfield Housing Study
What Is Affordable Housing?
The concept of affordable housing is a term that was developed by federal and state governments to indicate how much housing should cost based upon the median income of the county. The Federal Government considers you “cost burdened” if you are paying more than 30% of your monthly income on rent and utilities (or mortgage, property taxes and utilities.) The standard for what a household should pay in rent is 30% of their gross income (including utilities). This standard allows for a household to have adequate food, clothing, transportation, and other necessities.
The following information is based upon the 2025 Franklin County area median income according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Franklin County Definition of 100% of Area Median Income
Area Median Income (AMI) is the mid-point in income where half of the households in a region earn more than the median and half earn less than the median. This number is set yearly by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (HLC). A household’s income is calculated by its gross income, which is the total income received before taxes and other payroll deductions.
The following chart is how much a renter must earn per year in 2025 to NOT be eligible to receive ANY level of rental assistance in Franklin County. If you earn 100% AMI or more, you are not eligible for any rental assistance.
|
Household Size |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
|
|
100% AMI |
$76,600 |
$87,600 |
$98,600 |
$109,500 |
$118,300 |
$127,100 |
$135,800 |
$144,600 |
|
|
30% of the monthly income is |
$1915 |
$2190 |
$2465 |
$2738 |
$2958 |
$3178 |
$3395 |
$3615 |
|
Greenfield Income Statistics
Average Teacher salary $43,306
Average Firefighter salary $66,703
Average Nurse salary $74,786
Average Store Clerk salary $32,053
2024 Massachusetts Minimum Wage $15.00/ hour 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year $31,200.
Based upon the 30% standard:
The average teacher with no other family members should pay $1083/month for rent
The average firefighter with no other family members should pay $1668/month for rent
The average nurse with no other family members should pay $1870/month for rent
The average store clerk with no other family members should pay $ 801/month for rent
As is easy to see, many people in Greenfield earn less than 100% of AMI and are eligible for some level of housing subsidy if subsidies are available.
See also the Living Wage Calculator for Franklin County.
Affordable Housing
Affordable housing is built with state or federal government grants that cut the costs of building housing for the developer. In return, the developer is required to charge rents in accordance with the state and federal affordable housing requirements. (chart above) As long as the developer keeps the rents below the AMI of the county and in compliance with its contracts with the state and calculates the rent based on 30% of the renter’s income, the developer will not have to pay those grants back in accordance with the agreement with the state. If the developer decides to change that arrangement and charge market rates, all the government funds must be paid back immediately.
Affordable housing can also be located in market rate housing where the owner has agreed to accept a Section 8 certificate (HUD) or a Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) certificate. In those cases, the owner’s market rate cannot go above the amount HUD has determined is the fair market value of that home in this area. The renter will pay 30% of their income as rent. The difference between that 30% and the rest of the established market rate is paid by HUD or MRVP, depending on the certificate that the individual renter has been assigned. If the homeowner demands a rental price that is higher than that established by HUD or MRVP, the certificate cannot be used for that property.
Market Rate Housing
Market Rate Housing is based on existing area market values and demand without any kind of subsidies or government assistance. If a landlord decides that most of the apartments in that area of town are going for $X, the landlord can consider if the apartment to be rented is in better condition, has a better view, has a porch and others don’t, etc. and set the rent for the apartment accordingly…at the going rate, higher or lower—the market rate.
Recent Craigs List review of 1 Bedroom Apartments available in Greenfield
rent $1200-1500/month
Recent Zillow rental list 1 Bedroom Apartments available in Greenfield
rent $1300/month
For more information about affordable housing, contact: Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority (413) 863-9781 or https://fcrhra.org. Or Greenfield Housing Authority 413-774-2932 or https://www.greenfieldhousing.org
Other sources of information on affordability:
MHP Massachusetts Housing Partnership
CHAPA Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association
EOHLC Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
FCCLT Franklin County Community Land Trust
TOPA The Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act is another mechanism that could support affordability. It would let cities and towns adopt a preservation, anti-displacement and tenant empowerment tool that can preserve affordable rental housing stock, provide a mechanism for tenant associations to collectively purchase their buildings, and stabilize low-income households.
Let’s make beautiful home landscapes for birds, butterflies, and ourselves!
Learn how to choose plants that make our planet healthier and more habitable.
Above: Participants learn about pollinator/native plant interactions before getting their hands dirty.
[Just Roots, 2021]
Throughout the growing season we hold occasional field trips, nature walks, yard visits, and planting events. See Events: Upcoming and Past.
In winter we choose a theme supported by speakers and videos. See below for summaries, resources and links to the videos.
Martha Gach holds a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology. She worked at Mass Audubon for over 25 years. She asked the question “Do you want to attract and support birds?” If yes, she then challenged and invited us to choose native plants to create an environment that does just that. Attendees took home specifics as well as general principles that can be applied to a variety of spaces from patios to parks. Click here for a video of the presentation, and hand-out here. January, 2025
Greenfield’s own Pat Serrentino holds a Masters degree in Zoology from the University of Rhode Island, and has extensive experience in wildlife ecology and management, habitat restoration and public education. Pat focused on the actions that residents / homeowners can take to not only attract birds to their yards, but also keep them safe and healthy. She talked about supplying water and bird houses, how to prevent birds from striking windows, and urged us to avoid using pesticides. Click here for a video of the presentation, February, 2025. Pat’s extensive bird resource list here.
Susan Smith Pagano, Ph.D. Professor of Biology at Rochester Institute of Technology with research focused on the role of diet for migrating songbirds at stopover sites in the Northeast. Her research indicates native fruiting shrubs provide more of what birds need and when they need it. Her conclusion: If we want to support birds, we need to incorporate a variety of native plants that produce calorific, high-fat, and antioxidant-rich berries during migration. Click here for a video of the presentation, March, 2025, Hand-out here.
Regenerating Life: We viewed and discussed the first two parts of this three-part beautiful documentary film by John Feldman, which explores how life on our planet came to be. The documentary reveals fascinating insights into the role of water and plants in nurturing and balancing pathways to restore biodiversity and our climate. Click HERE to rent or buy the film.
– Water Cools the Planet Part 1, February, 2024.
– Life Sustains the Climate Part 2, March, 2024.
Healthy Soils at Home: Presentation by Rachel Lindsay, Ecologist and Designer, Regenerative Design Group. Rachel shared ways to protect soil health and increase climate resilience at home and beyond. She introduced us to the 2023 Massachusetts Healthy Soils Action Plan, the first statewide comprehensive plan of its kind that addresses non-agricultural soil management. Click here for a video of the presentation. April, 2024.
Recommended videos:
A Chickadee’s Guide to Gardening, a talk by Doug Tallamy hosted by the Athol Bird and Nature Club and the Brookline Bird Club. Doug is an entomologist, author, photographer, co-founder of Homegrown National Park.
Wild by Design, The Rise of Eco-Restoration (60 min) Ecologist, historian, and author, Laura Martin, PhD introduces her book by this name.
Successful eco-restoration stories:
A Hundred Thousand Beating Hearts (18 min) Fourth generation cattleman in Georgia, Will Harris, shares his journey to a humane food producer, and farmer of the soil, not cattle!
Miyawaki Forests: Spreading resilience one pocket forest at a time (60 min) Maya Dutta of Biodiversity for a Livable Climate shares slides of planting Miyawaki mini-forests in Boston, and explains why these forests are special.
Taking Root: The vision of Wangari Maathai, Kenya (60 min) PBS documentary 2008. Inspiring story of Wangari Maathai’s efforts to empower women to plant trees and restore areas “desertified” by colonial practices.
Lawns to Meadows, talk by Ecological landscaper and author , Owen Wormser, April 2023
Living with Nature, David Small, naturalist, Athol Bird & Nature Club, shares his thriving yard, home of insects, birds, and salamanders! March 2023
Turning a Barren Lawn into Thriving Habitat, by naturalists Charley Eiseman and Julia Blyth
Recommended videos:
Nature’s Best Hope, talk by author Doug Tallamy and founder of Homegrown National Park, to the Endangered Species Society
Kill your Lawn, talk to Lexington, by Dan Jaffee Wilder
Creating and Managing Habitat for Native Bees, by Heather Holmes to Ohio State U
“Pollinators in the Woods?” by Dr. Kass Urban-Mead, researcher/staff at Xerces society
Nature’s Best Hope, Doug Tallamy, PhD, behavioral ecologist professor, U.Delaware and author. Big picture thinking about what we need to do in our yards and communities.
A (Virtual) Walk in the Garden with Rebecca McMackin, Director of Horticulture at Brooklyn Waterfront Park . All about plants and what they do to attract bees.
Climate Change, Conservation, and the Role of Native Plant Horticulture Jesse Bellemare, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Smith College, and Current president of the New England Botanical Club. Explore the idea of “assisted migration,” and his research with umbrella leaf.
We’d like to express our gratitude to Grow Native Massachusetts and the Ecological Landscape Alliance for their work and hosting these talks.
Greenfield Public Trees Taking Stock and Planning for Our Future. With the Greenfield Tree Committee.
Birds, Insects and Plants: Sustaining Healthy Food Webs with Keystone Plant Species a talk by Meredith Gallogly, Manager of Programs at Grow Native Massachusetts, takes a deep dive into the ecological links between birds, caterpillars, and native plants, and what we can do to support this system while adding beauty to our yards and communities. Meredith’s handouts, March 2021 for GG
70% Native Plants: trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants count! Check out “WHY” this campaign, watch video by Dr. Desiree Narango, find plants to support our birds, butterflies, bees and more! FEb 2021 – new GG campaign launched
Where the Wild Things Are: Native Plants for Pollinators, a talk by Dan Jaffe Wilder and a film on how building soil health helps reduce the climate crisis by sequestering carbon.Kiss the Ground. Jan 2021-suggested viewing while sequestering. Watch anytime! Hope for Wild is a talk by Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, The Living Landscape, and recently released Nature’s Best Hope, A new approach to conservation that starts in your yard. He shares stunning photos he took in his yard, and fascinating stories of moths, birds, and Butterflies and more.
