Downtown Affordable Housing CPA application.pdfDowntown Affordable Housing 1
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION
PROJECT APPLICATION COVER SHEET
I: Project Information
Project Title: Downtown Affordable Housing
Project Summary: CPA Funding is sought to create climate resilient housing in a
central downtown location on Crafts Avenue. Work proposed will advance the
project through design and permitting, and will be used as the FY23 local match for
a $921,300 Commonwealth Municipal Vulnerability Program (MVP) grant already
received.
Estimated start date: Immediately upon receipt of funds
CPA Program Area (check all that apply):
� Open Space � Historic Preservation
Community Housing � Recreation
II: Applicant/Developer Information
Contact Person and or/primary applicant: Carolyn Misch, Director
Property Owner (if applicable): City of Northampton
Organization (if applicable): Northampton Office of Planning and Sustainability
Mailing Address: 210 Main Street, Room 11
Daytime phone #: 413-587-1265 Fax #: 413-587-1264
E-mail address: cmisch@northamptonma.gov
III: Budget Summary
Total budget for project: $1,265,300
CPA funding request: $60,000
CPA request as percentage of total budget: 4.7%
Applicant’s Signature:
Date Submitted: September 9, 2022_______________________
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Narrative:
Approximately 1% of Northampton’s population is houseless or at severe risk of being
houseless (e.g., sleeping outdoors, couch surfing, sleeping in shelters, living in unstable
SRO or other housing tenancy), with an additional 14% severely housing burdened
(e.g., one medical bill or short-term unemployment away from losing housing). These
populations are especially vulnerable to climate change. It affects those with transient
sleeping locations who are exposed to increasingly common threats- insect vectors,
flooding of typical outdoor sleeping areas, or heat waves, as well as those who are
housed but are most likely to be in housing that is least likely to be climate resilient
(e.g., insufficient cooling, poor insulation, high heating and cooling bills, no utility rate
payer subsidies for building improvements).
In Northampton, the face of those intransient sleeping situations and experiencing or
at great risk of houseless includes an older median age and a higher rate of physical
and psychological disabilities than the population as a whole, making them especially
vulnerable to both acute climate change events (e.g., major storm events and flooding)
and chronic climate change events (e.g., more intense storms, heat waves, insect
vectors).
We will serve these populations with 24 units of climate resilient studio apartments
located in the heart of downtown, near all services and transit pulse points, close to
carbon neutral, fossil free heating and cooling, and designed for passive survivability.
24 units is more beds than the typical census at either of our two primary homeless
shelters. The City has already surplused the site for affordable housing, for now
consideration, providing a huge subsidy.
Using the CPA Affordable Housing Fund grant as an initial investment, we have
completed architectural space and feasibility plans, and have worked with a civil
engineer and geotechnical firm to complete necessary geotechnical borings earlier this
summer. This groundwork allowed the full project to receive funding through the MVP
program for both FY23 and FY24. The first stage, for which a CPA match is requested,
will complete the design through design development in FY23. The second stage, in
FY24, will complete the design through construction drawings and bid specifications.
With site control and design development, the project will be advanced enough to go
for construction financing.
The site was selected for a number of reasons. First, the site is downtown, providing
the greatest access to services (e.g., employment, support services, social services,
social communities, transit, walking). Second, the site offers some great resilience
opportunities (e.g., elevating housing out of the floodplain even if the flood control
levees protecting downtown failed, southerly exposure for solar, light and air, northerly
and westerly sides significantly buried into a hillside for super insulation, located near
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support services). Third, the site provides the opportunity for a highly visible climate
resilient housing model. Fourth, the site fills in a missing tooth in Northampton’s urban
fabric, making downtown more affordable and further reducing our transportation
footprint. Fifth, the site is in the epicenter of where the largest concentration of those
experiencing houseless are during the day, providing evidence that this is a site that will
be highly desirable for those users. Finally, the City is very supportive of this site and
has donated the property at no consideration because of the importance of the site in
addressing our housing needs
The project addresses a number of priorities set in our MVP-Community Resilience
Findings and then in the Climate Resilience and Regeneration element of our
Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan that was partially funded from the MVP
Planning Grant.
First, the vulnerabilities in the MVP-Community Resilience Findings included the lack of
affordable housing, sheltering for those in chronic needs, and stress, all of which this
project addresses. Second those MVP findings specifically recommend more passive
survivable housings, ensuring equitable transportation access, and reducing the need
for emergency sheltering bids, all of which this project achieved. Finally, the Resilience
and Regeneration Plan goes further and highlights the climate benefits of new
development being in an near downtown, and equity-focused approach to housing,
ensuring new housing is fossil fuel free and carbon neutral, all of which this project
advances.
The project will be designed around creating a nature based
solutions for a climate resilience building. We are committed to installing all of the
following features until we encounter unresolvable design challenges in any area during
design:
• Not relaying on the flood control levees. While the City is advancing the
certification of our flood control levees and expects to maintain them forever, the
project will be designed so that even if the levees and downtown flood control
pumps ever fail or have a storm greater than the design of those features that
the affordable housing project we are designing is survive passively and all
housing is elevated above any potential flood event.
• Maximizing natural light and air. The building site has excellent southern
exposure and will have natural light and operable windows to the extent
consistent with a super insulated building.
• Northerly and westerly first two floors super insulated with ground insulation.
One of the big costs of this site is the need to move soil to allow the building to
be built into a hillside, the benefit is to provide super insulation to approximately
20% of the building side envelope, helping the building be close to net energy
zero but not competing with the need for natural light.
• Rooftop solar photovoltaics. Other than the space needed for roof top
mechanicals, the rest of the roof will be covered with solar photovoltaics, to
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power the building sustainability and, along with a low energy footprint,
maximize the time the building can operate during utility service interruptions.
• Stormwater mitigation. Most of the building footprint is currently parking,
sidewalk, staircase, and retaining wall, so the building causes virtually no
increase in impervious area. What little it causes, however, will be addressed
with stormwater infiltration features to the extent feasible.
• Building materials. We are exploring either a 100% mass timber frame or at least
a timber frame on top of a concrete pedestal. This creates a small carbon
footprint that buildings that relay on more steel and concrete, sequesters carbon
in the building, and creates a more desirable and livable building.
• Downtown design location. The development of this site on a missing tooth site
downtown and replacing some parking with housing, creates a project whose
environmental footprint may be smaller than the previous parking lot use.
Timeline, Scope, and Budget
Project Scope
Project Kick-off and Management
The City will hold a kick-off meeting with internal stakeholders (e.g., Planning and the
Mayor’s office), early community stakeholders (e.g., Valley Community Development
Corporation), EEA, and our consultant team who have taken us through due-diligence
and space planning.
Project Case Study: The Office of Planning and Sustainability, working with our project
partners, will create a case study documenting both the substantive aspects of the
project and the community engagement and empowerment aspects of the project.
Bidding and designer selection
The city project manager will bid for and complete designer selection in accordance
with state procurement requirements.
Public Involvement and Community Engagement
At each step in the process, we will work closely with our consultant
team and our affordable housing development team to deeply engage community
members in the schematic design and programming plan of the building, including
outreach to potential residents, business community, downtown residents, and other
stakeholders, outreach at homeless shelters, the food pantry and hot meals
programs, and at community SRO’s to engage these populations where they are,
without expecting them to come to us.
We will also hold in-person meetings (with remote options) at a City facility, at our
temporary community resilience hub/hot meal center, and at the Downtown
Northampton Association monthly forums.
Building and Site Design through Design Development
Schematic Design (SD): Engage the community, stakeholders, and the site to develop a
program for the building and schematic plans showing all resilience features
and interior and exterior building layout.
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Design Development (DD): Design development follows the completion of the
schematic design phase. Again, with both a draft plan and final plan tasks, this process
allows the deeper development of plans sufficient for permitting, cost estimating,
bidding the site to an affordable housing developer, and applying for construction
financing. The design phases are the tasks for which a local cash match was required
in the MVP award, and for which CPA funds are now requested.
RFP for an affordable housing developer: Once at least draft schematic plans are
prepared, the City will issue an RFP for the final affordable housing provider who will be
the developer who takes the project though to construction. The City is not requiring
any consideration other than creating deed-restricted affordable housing in accordance
with these plans.
The final steps will include Construction Drawings, structural plans and specifications to
include with the final bid, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection design:
MEPFP to include in the final bid, and cost estimating for funders and to include in the
bid. Once complete, the City will donate the land for affordable housing and transfer
ownership rights to the affordable housing developer.
The project meets several Community Preservation general criteria:
Contributes to the preservation of Northampton’s unique character, boosts the vitality of
the community, and enhances the quality of life for its residents
Providing a wide variety of quality affordable housing types to meet the
community’s needs is critical to the character and vitality of Northampton.
Potential reduces the number of people sleeping outdoors or transiently.
Addresses recommendations contained in the Sustainable Northampton comprehensive
plan and/or the Open Space, Recreation, and Mixed Use Trail Plan 2011-2017 or is
consistent with other city-wide planning efforts that have received broad-based scrutiny
and input and can demonstrate wide community support
This project will result in new affordable housing opportunities in Northampton,
meets the goals of the Housing Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan, and will
help to address impediments to fair housing identified in the Fair Housing
Assessment. It also meets the Sustainable Northampton goal of supporting a
wide variety of housing types that increase rental and homeownership units to
create and preserve a range of affordability and choice in housing options
Receives endorsement by community groups, municipal boards and/or departments
The application is presented by the Office of Planning and Sustainability in its
capacity as the lead office in promoting and planning for affordable housing
opportunities in Northampton, and is supported by the Housing Partnership.
Leverages additional public and/or private funds, or demonstrates that other funding
sources are not readily available or sufficient
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Made possible through the CPA affordable housing fund, this work will now
leverage significant state grant funds.
Can be implemented expeditiously and within budget
We will begin predevelopment work as soon as funding is available.
The Project Meets ALL of the Community Housing Criteria
• Create or preserve community housing – both rental and home ownership,
with a focus that matches community needs for households
• Promote and encourage use by diverse populations
• Provide housing that is harmonious in design and scale with the surrounding
community
• Intermingle affordable and market rate housing
• Ensure long-term affordability (Appendix D), with a focus on:
a. Housing ownership affordability of at least 30 years
b. Housing rental affordability of at least 30 years, or such longer
period as may be contained in an Affordable Housing
Restriction granted to the Commonwealth.
• Promote the use of existing buildings or construction on previously-
developed or City-owned sites
• Give priority to Northampton residents and employees, consistent with fair
housing. For information about fair housing, see Appendix B
• Provide the City credit for units under M.G.L. Chapter 40B
• Provide housing that incorporates supportive services for those in need of
services, including the homeless and persons with disabilities.
• Is LEED or Energy Star certified, complies with energy stretch code, and
has a very low HERS rating, and is fossil fuel free, or meets City energy
and sustainability performance standards for affordable housing
projects with significant city funding
• Enhance nonprofit capacity for providing housing and related services
• Provide mixed-use development opportunities
• Provide housing in locations that promote walking, biking, and use of public
transportation, and discourage single-occupancy vehicle trips
• Provide housing for households with incomes below 80% of area median,
and based on community need give special consideration for funding to
projects which restrict at least some units to even lower income
households including households with incomes below 50% or 30% of
area median.
• Is accessible to people with disabilities or is visitable for people with
disabilities
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Project Budget:
Task Source Cost
Project Management OPS Staff Match $11,000
Community Engagement OPS Staff Match $4,000
Community Engagement MVP Grant $7,000
Building and Site Design Plans MVP Grant $300,000
Building and Site Design Plans CPA $60,000
Developer RFP City Match $10,000
Final Construction Drawing MVP Grant $608,300
Land Donation City Match $250,000
Total
$1,250,300
ATTACHMENTS:
Support Letters
Representative Options
City Council Order Surplusing Site
Site Plan View from Main Street
Birdseye from NorthwestBirdseye from Southeast
SITE & MASSING: OPTIONS 1, 3 & 4
City of Northampton
MASSACHUSETTS
_________
In City Council, October 21, 2021
Upon the recommendation of Mayor David J. Narkewicz and Planning & Sustainability
21.343 An Order to Surplus City Land for Affordable Housing and Community Resilience Hub off Crafts Avenue
WHEREAS, Consistent with the Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan, Open Space, Recreation, and Multi-Use Trail Plan, Housing Needs Assessment and Strategic Housing Plan, and Unlocking Opportunity: An Assessment of Barriers to Fair Housing, the city has a comprehensive affordable housing program, including
limited development, funding, regulatory incentives, and surplusing of city land;
WHEREAS, Consistent with the Climate Resilience and Regeneration Plan, Community Resilience Building Findings, and Mayor’s Task Force on Panhandling, the city has a program to create a Community Resilience Hub as a downtown facility with
a coordinated program for frontline communities and any residents who face chronic and acute stress due to disasters, pandemics, climate change, and other social and economic challenges. It will serve the 1% (homeless and those with severe chronic stress), the 15% (below the poverty line), the 40% (housing-burdened and under chronic stress) and the 100% (those at risk of acute adverse
events), by providing access to resource, a social network, and building social resilience; WHEREAS, Downtown studio apartments are especially important to help transition people who are experiencing houselessness or who face extreme housing burdens;
WHEREAS, The city has made offers for the Roundhouse and for St. John Cantius Church and explored other options for a community resilience hub, while exploring a back-up option of developing a hub in a new building, potentially co-located with affordable housing;
WHEREAS, The city’s property extending from the Puchalski Municipal Office Building to the Roundhouse bus station driveway to Crafts Avenue, to the southerly most parking spaces in the city hall parking lot potentially is viable for affordable housing studios and/or a community resilience hub;
Ordered, that
City Council declares this land surplus to city needs; Further that the Mayor is authorized to transfer deeds, easements, and/or leases for the land for
affordable housing and/or a community resilience hub, subject to restrictions and conditions that the Mayor imposes to accomplish these needs.
City of Northampton
MASSACHUSETTS
_________
In City Council, October 21, 2021
Upon the recommendation of Mayor David J. Narkewicz and Planning & Sustainability
21.343 An Order to Surplus City Land for Affordable Housing and Community Resilience Hub off Crafts Avenue
WHEREAS, Consistent with the Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan, Open Space, Recreation, and Multi-Use Trail Plan, Housing Needs Assessment and Strategic Housing Plan, and Unlocking Opportunity: An Assessment of Barriers to Fair Housing, the city has a comprehensive affordable housing program, including
limited development, funding, regulatory incentives, and surplusing of city land;
WHEREAS, Consistent with the Climate Resilience and Regeneration Plan, Community Resilience Building Findings, and Mayor’s Task Force on Panhandling, the city has a program to create a Community Resilience Hub as a downtown facility with
a coordinated program for frontline communities and any residents who face chronic and acute stress due to disasters, pandemics, climate change, and other social and economic challenges. It will serve the 1% (homeless and those with severe chronic stress), the 15% (below the poverty line), the 40% (housing-burdened and under chronic stress) and the 100% (those at risk of acute adverse
events), by providing access to resource, a social network, and building social resilience; WHEREAS, Downtown studio apartments are especially important to help transition people who are experiencing houselessness or who face extreme housing burdens;
WHEREAS, The city has made offers for the Roundhouse and for St. John Cantius Church and explored other options for a community resilience hub, while exploring a back-up option of developing a hub in a new building, potentially co-located with affordable housing;
WHEREAS, The city’s property extending from the Puchalski Municipal Office Building to the Roundhouse bus station driveway to Crafts Avenue, to the southerly most parking spaces in the city hall parking lot potentially is viable for affordable housing studios and/or a community resilience hub;
Ordered, that
City Council declares this land surplus to city needs; Further that the Mayor is authorized to transfer deeds, easements, and/or leases for the land for
affordable housing and/or a community resilience hub, subject to restrictions and conditions that the Mayor imposes to accomplish these needs.