EAST LONGMEADOW – East Longmeadow conducted a virtual Housing Production Plan open forum on Nov. 4. Most of the attendees were members of the Housing Production Plan Working Group and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), which has partnered with the town on the project. Ken Comia of the PVPC led the meeting.

The first topic discussed was that of affordable housing. Massachusetts has a stated goal that 10 percent of housing be “affordable.” Of East Longmeadow’s 6,072 homes and rental “units,” only 464, or 7.6 percent are considered affordable. In the metro-Springfield area, that means that a family of four would spend no more than $67,300 annually on housing needs.

Comia said that the Housing Production Plan would benefit East Longmeadow in a few ways, including becoming eligible for grants and contributing to the economic growth of the area. The plan consists of understanding the town’s housing supply, current demographics and how they are expected to change, and getting public input through surveys and public forums.

In the past 20 years, East Longmeadow has grown by more than 2,300 residents, continuing a trend that goes back to the 1960s. The number of households making at least $75,000 has decreased, those making under that figure have increased, leading to a more economically diverse town. In 2019, 56 percent of households spent more than 30 percent on housing, up from 50 percent in 2010. This trend is the opposite of that seen in Hampden County as a whole.

The age of the population has changed, as well. Prime working-age adults made up just under half of the population in 2019, down from 52 percent in 2010, while the proportion of children and seniors has grown.

The vast majority, 87 percent of homes in East Longmeadow are single-family detached houses, as opposed to apartment units, duplexes or row houses. Most of these houses are relatively new, with just 10 percent built before 1939 and 16 percent built after the turn of the 21st century. Furthermore, more than eight in 10 houses are occupied by the owners instead of renters.

Two surveys were sent out to the community during the late spring and early summer to learn more about the town’s housing needs and the concerns of its residents. More than 500 responses were received. According to the results, 62 percent of East Longmeadow residents could afford to buy their home at the market rate, nearly 70 percent said revitalizing blighted property was a priority, though respondents rated creating denser housing areas as a low priority.

A poll of forum participants showed 83 percent wanted to support seniors through housing, 67 percent wanted to have more options for people who work in East Longmeadow so they can live there and half want more variety in housing options and to become a more welcoming and diverse town, including accommodating differently-abled individuals.

Participants cited losing the town’s history and small-town charm and increased traffic congestion as concerns around changes to housing. A third of participants in the forum expressed concerns about large affordable housing developments being built and the impact on infrastructure that more housing might have.

Comia ran an interactive brainstorming session with the forum participants, who identified affordable and accessible housing, living solutions for seniors who have downsized from a house, safe sub-communities for life stages and more market rate housing as priorities.

East Longmeadow’s strengths were considered, including its commitment to developing residential options, open-minded people, renovated existing homes and a school system that attracts new residents.

The obstacles to housing solutions were also examined. Extensive wetlands, brownfields and other undevelopable land limits the areas that can be used for housing. Land values and taxes were mentioned as a barrier, as was finding developers that want to work within the “vision” of the town.

Proposed solutions to address these issues included education on how affordable housing can be integrated into the existing community and dispelling the “negative connotations” around affordable housing. One person suggested a partnership between businesses, residents and the community to address transportation and traffic issues. Maintaining farmland was another factor with which a participant hoped the Housing Production Plan could help.

Senior tax credits and property tax incentives, co-housing communities with central common areas and a balanced approach to development were identified as wish list items.

The Housing Production Plan process will continue beyond the open forum. The working group is currently conducting meetings to put together the information that has been gathered. The plan is expected to be finalized on Dec. 21, after which it will be put before the Planning Board and Town Council, and then the state for approval.