Concord Selected as 2016 "Housing Hero" by Mass Housing Partnership

From the Town of Concord

CONCORD, MA—Concord has been selected by the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) as a recipient of the “2016 Housing Hero” award for “demonstrating great passion and tenacity in supporting and furthering affordable housing.” This award comes as a result of hard work and dedication from Town Staff and volunteers on various committees in making affordable housing available in Concord. The MHP will be hosting a luncheon on Wednesday, June 15th honoring Concord and other award winners.

“Concord has more than quadrupled its affordable housing in the last decade from 177 units to 718, and continues to make annual progress towards its housing goals” said Marcia Rasmussen, Director of Planning and Land Management. “There is no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to achieving affordable housing goals.

For years, Concord has made strides towards increasing the diversity of the housing stock and increasing the affordable housing opportunities through comprehensive long-range planning, comprehensive permitting, planned residential developments and through other housing development projects such as the Small Grants Program, which provides recipients with a small sum of money to make necessary home improvements.

“Providing affordable housing in Concord is a community-wide effort, and we couldn't do it without our residents who have advocated for affordable housing, supported by our Planning and Land Management Department and Town Boards to set our affordable housing goals” said Select Board Member Steve Ng.

Through their efforts to create and preserve affordable housing, fundraise and strategize on how best to make affordable housing possible, many local resources have been integral in changing the housing landscape in Concord. These organizations include: Concord Housing Authority, Concord Housing Foundation, Concord Housing Development Corporation, Community Preservation Committee, Regional Housing Services Office and the West Metro HOME Consortium.

Additionally, Concord Town Meeting voted in 2006, 2010-2013, 2015 and 2016 to make amendments to the Zoning Bylaw with the idea of supporting affordable housing efforts in Town. These votes of support for affordable housing by Concord residents showcase the community’s dedication to providing a variety of housing options in Town.