Housing Greenfield Minutes – 04/14/25

Housing Greenfield Meeting Notes –March 10, 2025

Present: Susan Worgaftik, Nikki Garrett, Peg Hall, Jack Redman, Mary McClintock, Pamela Goodwin, Sara Brown, Jessa McCormack, Amy Clarke, Lexi Turner, Wisty Rorabacher, Judy Draper, Rachel Gordon, Nancy Hazard, Dorothy McIver, Mike Penn-Strah, Edie Heinemann, Jen Hale, Justin Robertson, Charity Day, Alyssa Larose, Vanessa Zaehring

Discussions

Review of Greenfield Housing Plan—Jessa McCormack

You all should have received Jessa’s slides from that presentation.  If you have not, please let us know.  We will get them to you ASAP.

In addition, the following reports are available in the Housing Greenfield section of the Greening Greenfield website:  https://greeninggreenfieldma.org/programs/housing-greenfield/

2024 Housing Greenfield Annual Report
Greenfield Housing Plan Report 2024
413Cares, Housing Resources
Franklin County Regional Housing Plan 2024
Assessment of Zoning and Permitting for Housing 2024
A Home for Everyone—Massachusetts Housing Plan, 02/25 for ’25-‘29
Massachusetts Protected ADU Ruling
Community Education on Housing Issues—Susan Worgaftik

Susan asked for volunteers to work on a plan to do community education at such organizations as the Rotary and the Elks next fall.  Jessa McCormack and Charity Day agreed to be part of this effort.  Susan will contact them to set up a meeting.

Reports

Zoning Ordinances and Citizens’ Petitions—Susan Worgaftik

We are coming down to the wire on this.  There will be a special City Council meeting only on zoning on May 8th at 6:30 pm at the Jon Zon Community Center. Zoom will be an option, but no link has yet been put online.  This meeting will determine the zoning regulations on ADUs, height of buildings downtown and several other issues.  It will determine what we can do at the Hope Street lot and other possibilities as we move forward.  And, of course, the great ADU controversy of 2025 will finally be decided.  The Coordination Team will be sending out talking points regarding all the zoning issues on the table. We ask you to please send a letter to the council about your concerns about any or all the zoning issues on the table.  We do not know yet if public comment will be allowed on May 8th.  Whether there is public comment or not, the letters are going to be important.  Jessa and Susan will be happy to help anyone who has questions about writing the letters or doing public comment if you wish to testify in public comment.  More information will be coming soon.

Rental Housing Survey—Sara Brown

Sara has begun work on surveying homes and it is still too early for anything more than that at this time.  More information to come.

176 Main Street—Alyssa Larose

Information on the project is now up on the RDI website  https://ruraldevelopmentinc.org/development-projects/176-main-street-greenfield/.  There is a FAQ section on the website.

RDI has submitted an application for a significant part of the project funding to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and expects to hear back in June or July.  They are also contacting other funders.

They have made a presentation before the Historical Commission and are waiting to hear back from them.

They have focused on accessibility in this project and all apartments will be visitable and some will be fully accessible.

The greatest demand in the area is for 1-bedroom apartments.  The project has a significant number of 1-bedroom apartments, but also 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom apartments as well.  Those eligible to apply will be from 30% to 80% of Area Median Income.

The site plan has been approved by the Planning Board.

The city has awarded the 188 Main Street parcel to this project, as well.  When the project is done, people will be able to see the railroad trains from Main Street and view the pollinator garden that will be developed.  A proposal for the pollinator garden has been submitted.

A public meeting on the project is planned for late May.  More information on that to come.

Warming Center—Susan Worgaftik and Pamela Goodwin

Planning for next winter will be beginning sometime in May.  Planning will include training for volunteers.

There was a de-escalation training held at the library which included library staff and some warming center volunteers.  The training went well and there likely will be more to follow.

Greenfield Housing Authority—Jack Redman

The GHA has received funding ($24,000) to develop aging in place accommodations for its residents.  These would include things like tub cuts and grab bars to make apartments more user-friendly for older residents.

City Council Unhoused Task Force—Sara Brown and Pamela Goodwin

The task force will be approved by the Council at the April 16th meeting.  The members include Sara Brown, Pamela Goodwin, Office Zoe Smith, Robin Green (AMR), Larry Thomas (Wildflower Alliance), Reese McGovern, and Christy Allen.  Several of the members of the task force have lived experience.  Among the issues that they are going to be considering are safe camping, and other issues essential to the support and survival of our unhoused residents.  More information will be coming.  The meetings will be public, so check the city calendar for more about when they will occur.

Coalition for the Homeless Lobby Day—Pamela Goodwin

Rather than list all of the information that Pamela presented, here is the email with links that came from the Coalition.

“Thank you to all the attendees for joining us in the fight to end homelessness at the Coalition’s Legislative Action Day last Monday at the State House. We had over 250 people with us: families, youth, and adults with lived experience of homelessness, providers, advocates, and legislators all speaking up for solutions to homelessness, housing instability, and poverty, and taking action to ensure that everyone has a place to call home.

Please see our most recent action alert for the full thank you!: https://conta.cc/3Gduahe

For photos from the event, check out the LAD 2025 photo album here.

From across the Commonwealth, we raised our voices with one message and took action to end homelessness. Let’s continue to build up that momentum. Thank you for your partnership and solidarity!’

New Idea

Social Event—Susan Worgaftik

At our last meeting, it was suggested that we might want to have a social event of some kind where we could see each other outside of a meeting and the little zoom boxes that we inhabit.  The group agreed that this might be a fine idea and asked the coordinating group to work on it.  More at the next meeting.

Next meeting May 12th