Current Activities & Goals

Current Activities

The Marblehead Fair Housing Committee continues its efforts to bring affordable housing for everyone to Marblehead.  Currently the committee is:

  • Assisting the town with the Housing Rehabilitation Program. The committee has so far spent more than $120,000 of North Shore Home Consortium money and has completed three rehabilitation projects with another underway.
  • Working with the Smart Growth Advisory Committee, which was appointed by the Board of Selectmen in the fall of 2007.  The Smart Growth Advisory Committee is considering several diverse Smart Growth initiatives including creating an Affordable Housing Trust, undertaking a housing master plan, creating a 40R Smart Growth Overlay District and writing an Inclusionary Zoning By-law;
  • Utilizing an Education and Advocacy sub-committee that works with other town organizations to find diverse ways to educate town leaders, the general public and its own members about the needs and possibilities for affordable housing;
  • Participating in housing lotteries processes by monitoring the process, publicizing the opportunities to potential buyers of affordable units and offering informational assistance to lottery applicants and winners;
  • Advising the Board of Selectmen on housing issues and issues and opportunities with the town's Planning Board and other town agencies and organizations; and
  • Managing a "Soft Second" loan program that provides a supplement to a conventional first mortgage with a subsidized second mortgage for first-time homebuyers in Marblehead.

Current Goals

The Fair Housing Committee has established these current goals:

  • To work toward increased public support and acceptance of fair and affordable housing;
  • To achieve and maintain the support of the majority of the Board of Selectmen to achieve economic diversity in Marblehead housing;
  • To attract culturally diverse applicants to affordable housing initiatives in town;

On-Going Work

  • The Fair Housing Committee continues to work with MCHC and Connections to find diverse ways to educate town leaders, the general public and its own members for affordable housing. It seeks to maintain communication with residents of affordable housing and to offer information and assistance as needed.
  • The committee actively participates in housing lotteries processes, along with the Connections program, by monitoring the process, publicizing the opportunities to potential buyers of affordable units and offering informational assistance to lottery winners.
  • The Fair Housing Committee participates in a joint public/private Soft Second Loan Program, which supplements a conventional first mortgage with a subsidized second mortgage for first-time home buyers in Marblehead. 
  • It advises the Selectmen on housing issues and opportunities and continues to explore and consider potential affordable housing possibilities. The committee also seeks to coordinate its efforts with the Planning Board and other Town agencies and organizations.