CPC gets project updates

The Norwood Community Preservation Commission (CPC) met last week and discussed project statuses for several Community Preservation Act (CPA) fund buildings and initiatives.

In somewhat big news, CPC Coordinator Kristin Phelps said that the 20 Vernon St. project has just recently received its state funding.

“They’re moving through the process,” she said.

“They projected that it was going to be this late,” said CPC Chair Catherine Walsh. “This isn’t a surprise.”

The project is slated for 20 affordable homes for homeless veterans or homeless residents (with a priority on the former). Caritas Communities LLC pitched the project first in 2024, and it was approved at Town Meeting in the fall of 2024. It was controversial at the time because it was an organization based outside of Norwood asking for CPA funds to the tune of $800,000. It was also the first CPA application to use funds from the affordable housing bucket to actually build new housing – the CPA is designed to be used only for affordable housing, historic preservation and open space and recreation.

The Norwood Record report last year – https://gvimes.link/20verncpa – would back that up, as Caritas representatives said then that 2027 was a likely construction start date.

Phelps also gave an update on the Bernie Cooper Memorial Waterfront Park, which had about $800,000 in CPA funding, $800,000 from the Town General Fund, and $800,000 from a grant. There will be funds coming back from that – funds are still being used to help the plantings take root and deal with invasive species in the area – but Phelps stipulated that the returning funds will have to be split with the general fund.

Also at the meeting, CPC member and Planning Board Member Debbie Holmwood asked for information regarding the Shared Housing Services Organization (SHSO) and the fruits of its labor with CPA funds, which amounts to $28,000 as of this year.

Holmwood asked for a report detailing the number of housing units that qualify as affordable housing to keep the Town in “safe harbor” from Chapter 40B projects.

For those who might not remember, Chapter 40B allows a developer to ignore many local zoning laws if the involved municipality does not have 1.5 percent of its land or 10 percent of its housing stock dedicated to affordable housing. The Town ran afoul of this about 10 years ago, and it led to Norwood purchasing the Forbes Hill Mansion property that it sold to Moderna years later.

The purpose of the SHSO was to keep track of all the Town’s affordable housing, and Holmwood said she would like to see where that currently stands.

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“Because isn’t Derby Village coming off this year?” she said, referring to a housing development with expiring affordability requirements. “Just tell us what they did for $28,000.”

Holmwood said they also want to see what’s coming off the list and what’s expected to be coming off the list and when.

“And with the apartments being built, what’s the number that’s coming online for us as well, and the length that they will be (affordable) as well,” said CPC member and Selectman Cheryl Doyle. “Are they just 30 years or in perpetuity.”

Walsh said they would send a request to Town Planner Sarah Dixon. Kristin Phelps said the SHSO has a database and they would ask for access to said database.

“It’s been three years, and it’s nobody’s fault and nobody should get their panties in a snit, but the bus is going down the road,” said Holmes. “We’ve asked repeatedly.”