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Housing Greenfield Meeting Notes – 03/10/2025

Present: Susan Worgaftik,, Louise Amyot, Nikki Garrett, Peg Hall, John Garrett, Jack Redman, Thomas Garrett, Mary McClintock, Pamela Goodwin, Sara Brown, Jessa McCormack, Amy Clarke, Emily Greene, Lexi Turner, Carol Letson,  Ella Condon, Wisty Rorabacher, Judy Draper, Alvin (Fair Housing), Rachel Gordon, Anna Oltman

Discussions
Zoning Ordinances—John Garrett
ADU ordinances will not be discussed at the March Council meeting due to the citizens petitions that were filed on February 28th.  There will be a public hearing about those citizens petitions on April 8th.   Susan will write up suggested Housing Greenfield official testimony regarding the ADU situation and will send it to everyone for their approval. (Stay tuned.)

There are, however, other zoning ordinances which will come up at the Council in March.  The full text can be found here. https://cms5.revize.com/revize/greenfield/Document_Center/Government/City_Council/Subcommittees/Economic_Development/Agendas/Economic_Development_Planning_Board_JPH_2025-03-06.pdf

Amendment #1 is designed to ensure that the commercial district, particularly Main Street will continue to have commercial businesses and will not become all residential.  While the sentiment is good, it is likely to be tweaked some to be more specific about which streets will be impacted by this change.  We will know more after the EDC meeting on March 11th.

Amendment #2 is to amend the Table of Dimensional Requirements to increase the height limit for buildings in the Central Commercial District from 50 feet to 80 feet and increase the height limit for the General Commercial District from 40 feet to 60 feet.

Amendment #3 Allows for ADA compliant first floor dwelling units behind commercial spaces in the Central Commercial District along the street side with the least amount of traffic.  Right now, it states that the first-floor commercial space shall occupy no less than 50% of the first-floor square footage.  That last sentence may also be tweaked before it is put before the full Council.  It also limits uses above the first floor for office use.  That may also be tweaked before it goes to the full Council.

The group agreed that these were all appropriate generally.  Susan will write a statement and send it out to the group for review.

“A Home for Everyone”, Massachusetts State Housing Plan—Lexi Turner
Lexi provided an overview of the plan, which can be found at this link, https://www.mass.gov/doc/a-home-for-everyone/download:

  • It is for 5 years with a goal of producing 220,000 units of housing for the whole state (over a 10-year period)
  • Key factors that must be considered in the development of housing are such things as housing insecurity, homelessness, and wealth/income inequality within the Commonwealth.
  • The lack of housing is inhibiting the Commonwealth’s growth.
  • 2000-2023 median home prices in the state rose 73%, while incomes rose 4%
  • Mental health and other health needs are also key
  • Zoning and construction costs are also central

What needs to be done:

  • Increase zoning by right
  • Increase housing production
  • Reduce regulatory barriers
  • Make the economics work for middle income housing
  • Develop new types of housing
  • Develop regional funding streams such as the real estate transfer fee

In Franklin County, the issues that relate to this report are:

  • It only calls for 2.5% housing growth in Franklin County.  This puts us at a competitive disadvantage with the rest of the state.  We need to be advocates for our needs
  • We have aging housing stock, much of which is single family housing.  We need to figure out how to get funds to update it.
  • We need to produce housing for people with moderate incomes.

Overall, the plan did not tell us anything that we did not know.  But it is confirming the issues that are pointed out in the Greenfield Housing Plan and regional plans done by the FRCOG.

Questions:

  • Do we need to do an inventory of state resources?
  • Should we have a discussion of the Greenfield Housing Plan?

 Greenfield Housing Authority Updates—Jack Redman

  • The Massachusetts Broadband Institute has awarded Elm Terrace, the Winslow, Oak Courts and Morgan Allen funds to provide free Wifi for the residents there for 2 years.  It should start by the end of July.
  • The Winslow is applying for funds for a deep energy retrofit that will allow for a reduction in energy use of 40%.  Through LEAN the Winslow will be able to replace 50 of the 55 refrigerators in the apartments there
  • Section 8 is in flux as we wait to see what HUD under the Trump Administration will do.  At present there are 29 vouchers out for individuals and families, but because of the uncertainties of federal funding, GHA will not be issuing any more for the next few months until things with the federal budget are a bit more clear.
  • GHA is partnering with Baystate’s Wellness on Wheels program at Oak Courts and Elm Terrace to provide free health screenings and appropriate referrals.
  • Applications for housing are continuing to come in

National Low Income Housing Coalition—Susan Worgaftik

The National Low Income Housing Coalition is doing a wide variety of efforts to deal with the cuts in HUD personnel and the possible cuts in such programs as Section 8.  Among these efforts is a series of letters and a petition that involves organizations from around the country.  The group agreed that we should sign on to these efforts. Susan will sign on to these letters and petitions right after the meeting. (Done)

Western Massachusetts Network to Prevent Homelessness—Susan Worgaftik

Jack and Susan attended a meeting with our state legislators about both the state budget priorities regarding housing for FY 2026 and the non-monetary legislative priorities for this session of the legislature.  It was a very good session even though just about every budgetary item has been cut in the Governor’s budget from last year.  There likely will be letters that we will need to write during the next few months.  The issues that were discussed at this meeting are in documents that can be accessed here:  State 2026 Fiscal Budget Priorities and WMNEH Legislative Priorities 03-09-2025

Reports
Small Town Working Group—Nikki Garrett

The discussion for this meeting was on age friendly housing modification which includes an interest free loan program.  FCRHRA has a program and so does Community Action.  For more information, you can contact Nikki, nsauber@antioch.edu.

Also the senior housing that is being developed in Erving by RDI was discussed

Nikki will send information about the loan program to Louise who is on the Greenfield Commission on Disability Access.

Rental Housing Survey Project—Jessa McCormack
Due to the difficult weather and our intern becoming ill, we do not have a lot to report.  More next month.

Greenfield Warming Center—Anna Oltman
Although the weather had been warm these past few days, there is still a possibility of cold air returning to New England.  So the warming center project will remain up and running during March to be available if needed.  But the project is also transitioning to planning.  Folks are meeting weekly at 2 pm on Thursdays in person at City Hall and via zoom:   https://greenfield-ma-gov.zoom.us/j/99307488121?pwd=qCcbkHszmSTuqiafcfNHtI5cOxr4IO.1.  All are welcome to participate.

Athol is now working to set up a warming/cooling center similar to what we created in Greenfield.  They are doing it at a YMCA site on Main Street.

Transfer Fee Bills—Statewide—Susan Worgaftik
     LOHA is once again trying to get the transfer fee passed.  The transfer fees would be a local option.  Transfer fees are fees attached to the sale of property (in this case housing) that become part of the transaction.  The LOHA coalition and the home rule petition that Susan submitted to some city councilors (see attached) would provide for a transfer fee of .5% to 2%(determined by the municipality) on the amount paid for a property that is MORE THAN the county median.  So, if my house were sold for $350,000 and the median for Franklin County is $300,000, then the transfer fee would apply to the $50,000 above the median.  If Greenfield decided on a 1% transfer fee that would allow for $500 to go to an affordable housing trust for support of affordable housing.  The community would decide if the $500 would be paid by the buyer, the seller or split between them.  The transfer fee could be included in the mortgage.  The transfer fee bill would have to be approved by the city council and then would go to a community vote.

Presentation on Housing By Governor of Hawaii—Pamela Goodwin
     The core of the presentation by Hawaii’s governor, Josh Green, is that housing is a health care and mental health issue.  We can spend money now on prevention or we will see the result of lack of housing in our emergency rooms and other healthcare settings.  He sees a variety of ways of paying for housing.  In Hawaii, because it has a large tourist industry, some of these funds might be through taxes related to tourism.  ADUs are an important part of the picture in Hawaii because several generations tend to live together in the same house or close by.  So, ADUs meet the general lifestyle of Hawaii’s communities.  Jack mentioned that the Governor used the term YIMBY….Yes in my back yard.

Individual Shelter Report—Keleigh BenEzra (via Susan Worgaftik)
      ‘The shelter is now under construction.  We hope to see it ready for residents in spring 2026.  CSO has not only served almost 100 individual people, at the Greenfield shelter and 110 at the Northampton site, since January 1st, but we have served 68 individuals in hotel stays over a 32-day period.  The total bed nights we covered during that 1 month was 768 bed nights.

These extremes are unprecedented.  The use of hotels for CSO went far beyond what we had budgeted for hotels.  I am still awaiting the totals but I think its upwards of $70,000.’

City Council Unhoused Task Force—Sara Brown
     The City Council is developing an Ad Hoc task force to approach support of the unhoused population in Greenfield.  The exact parameters of this task force are not yet set.  I was suggested that people with lived experience should be part of the discussions.  If you are interested in being part of the task force or learning more, contact Sara at councilor.brown@greenfield-ma.gov.  Sara will report on the task force at our April meeting.

Announcements

The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless will be having a Legislative Action Day on April 7.  They will book an appointment and provide a folder for your Rep or Senator with advance registration. Pamela Goodwin will be attending. If you wish to go that day, please contact Pamela, you might be able to carpool.  pgoodwin038@gmail.com

The speaker session will run 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. in the Great Hall at the State House featuring people with lived experience of homelessness, providers, and advocates speaking on a variety of issues such as preserving the right to shelter for children and families, scaling up resources to address youth homelessness, providing bridge subsidies to mitigate housing instability among older adults, and expanding access to homelessness prevention resources. We’ll also hear from key legislators about bills they have filed on key issues such as easing access to MassIDs for people experiencing homelessness, establishing a bill of rights for people experiencing homelessness, and improving the RAFT homelessness prevention program.

Following the morning session, there will be an opportunity to meet with your state legislators and legislative staff to talk about issues and policy recommendations to address homelessness in Massachusetts. Please indicate on your registration form if you need help setting up meetings with your legislators, and we will work with you to set up appointments. During the meetings, pick a few of our priorities that are most important to you and let legislators and staff know why!

Relevant Links:

For our next meeting

  • Do we want to do more community education about the housing crisis here in Greenfield and Franklin County?  If so, what does that mean?  If it includes the website, which is now at https://greeninggreenfieldma.org/programs/housing-greenfield/.  Can we boost this part of the Greening Greenfield website so it is more visible on the web? Do we need our own website? If so, then we need to think through a fundraising strategy.
  • Do we need to do an inventory of state resources?
  • Should we have a discussion of the Greenfield Housing Plan?
  • Report on City Council Unhoused Task Force

Next Meeting
Our regularly scheduled next meeting will be April 14h 6:30 pm on zoom.

  • Published: in
  • Last Edited: August 7, 2025

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