July 1, 2013
Metro West, Pine Street willing to fight for Waban housing project
By Trevor Jones
Newton – The developer behind the proposed redevelopment of the Engine 6 building into apartments for the chronically homeless isn’t giving up on the project, despite Mayor Setti Warren’s decision to withhold support for the project.
Jennifer Van Campen, executive director of Metro West Collaborative Development, told the TAB on Thursday that she was disappointed by the Warren’s decision to opt against granting $1.3 million in city-controlled federal funds toward the Engine 6 project.
“We understand and respect the mayor’s concerns and the concerns of the citizens,” said Van Campen. “We are happy to participate in a longer public discourse over the next few months if that’s what it takes to win people’s support.”
Warren, who last week said he “can’t support the allocation of funding for this proposal at this time,” wouldn’t rule out the possibility of backing the project in the future. “We are open to any and all proposals from Metro West and other developers,” Warren told the TAB Thursday.
Metro West is looking to spend $3 million to redevelop Engine 6, a former firehouse on Beacon Street in Waban owned by Hospice of the Good Shepherd. The Newton Housing Partnership and the Planning and Development Board voted to recommend the allocation of city-controlled funds, which would have allowed Warren to approve the funds any time after the close of a public comment period on July 2.
The proposal was presented in partnership with Pine Street Inn, which runs similar facilities in Boston and Brookline. Barbara Trevisan, a Pine Street spokesperson, said the project can’t go forward without the city’s support, but the nonprofit would be willing to come back to the table if Warren changes his mind.
“We can’t predict the future,” said Trevisan. “If things should change with funding, we would be more than happy to work to with Metro West and the city. We’re definitely leaving the door open.”
Metro West wants to build 10 studio apartments in the building, nine of which would be permanent housing for men and women who have lived on the street for more than a year and have a history of addiction, or mental or physical disabilities.
Reaction strong on both sides
The project has drawn strong criticism from residents who raised concerns about safety and impacts on the character of the neighborhood.
Yet a group of supporters has also emerged in the days since Warren withdrew his support. Residents Kathleen Hobson and Liz Baum have organized a group of 60 Newton residents called Supporters of Engine 6. Hobson expects the group to continue to grow.
On Monday, Metro West announced that the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) has increased a predevelopment loan from $15,000 to $40,000.
“The underserved population in Newton has had limited access to affordable housing and supportive services, and the proposed project will help to meet this need,” said Roger Herzog, Executive Director of CEDAC. “The Engine 6 project will focus on serving residents with ties to the Newton community, and providing them with quality housing options and guidance when needed. We have had a productive relationship with MWCD on two recent affordable housing developments and are looking forward to working with them on this vital project.”
Metro West submitted a funding request to the state earlier this year for the project, but it was rejected, according to Van Campen. She said the typical affordable-housing project gets rejected at least twice because of the high volume of applicants and the $1 million in state funding they are seeking likely wouldn’t come through until a third funding round in 2014.
The next application window with the state is in the fall, she said, and Metro West hopes to have the mayor’s backing by that time. If Warren doesn’t change his mind on the federal funding or at least endorse Engine 6, it could be too much of a hurdle for the developer.
“That could be the end of the project,” said Van Campen. “That said, we’d probably still continue to the best of our ability to seek other sources, but whether they could make up that big a difference remains to be seen.”
Van Campen and supporters of Engine 6 said they want to meet with Warren to explain why the project is a good one for the city – a request the mayor said he would be open to.
“My door is open to meet within anyone on this subject,” he said.
Warren continued his call for a community dialogue on this and other affordable-housing projects in the fall and said there wasn’t enough done to reach out to residents to inform them of the project and elicit feedback.
Warren’s decision to block the funding has drawn mixed reactions. Opponents of the project and those who still have questions praised Warren’s willingness to take a step back, while some supporters of Engine 6 have decried the move as caving to a vocal minority. Some have said the move came because Warren wanted to please affluent residents of Waban during an election season.
Politics had nothing to do with the decision, Warren said.
Alderman John Rice, who represents Waban, said it was a tough decision, but the right one. Rice said residents told him the project felt rushed and they had little time to make their concerns heard.
“We have a great opportunity right now to keep the dialogue going while there’s so much energy and emotion about it and turn it into something that could be a real positive for Newton,” said Rice.
Alderman Deb Crossley expressed disappointment that the public dialogue was ended abruptly. Crossley also represents Waban and helped arrange and run two public meetings on the project. A meeting on June 23 drew hundreds of residents and the discussion occassionally grew heated. Warren did not attend the June 23 meeting.
Candidates weigh in
Two likely candidates in November’s mayoral race also publicly criticized Warren’s decision.
Alderman-at-Large Ted Hess-Mahan issued a press release late last week calling for the mayor to reconsider his decision to withhold funding, saying it made “no sense” to cancel the public meetings and expressing concern that doing so sent the message that the city didn’t welcome affordable housing projects.
Tom Sheff said he agreed with Warren’s decision not to fund the project, but that public meetings should not have been cancelled.
“I wish the Mayor had allowed the discussion to happen,” Sheff told the TAB in an email Monday morning.
Warren defended his decision Monday.
“Since taking office, we have worked hard to change the tone and tenor of discussion on issues in our city, and we must continue to do so,” Warren said.
URL: http://www.wickedlocal.com/newton/news/x606637144/Metro-West-Pine-Street-Inn-willing-to-fight-for-Waban-housing-project?zc_p=0
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