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THE MALDEN ADVOCATE – Friday, July 12, 2019 Page 3 New report outlines city’s housing needs M By Barbara Taormina alden has enough affordable housing to keep 40B developments at bay but not nearly enough to meet the current and future housing demand. The Metropolitan Area Planning Commission’s report on Malden’s housing needs is now available on MAPC’s website. Originally presented as a housing production plan, the report steers clear of production and focuses on growth trends, housing demand, the need for Malden to generate more affordable housing and the consequences if the city fails to do so. The report tucks some of its best news in the appendix, where it explains the results of MAPC’s General Land Area Minimum (GLAM) analysis. Communities where 10 percent of the housing stock is affordable or where 1.5 percent of the commercial and residential land is taken up by affordable housing are protected against 40B projects that allow residential developers to sidestep local zoning restrictions in exchange for designating 20 to 25 percent of the project as affordable housing. Most communities rely on the 10 percent threshold of affordable housing to guard against 40B projects. However, at the City Council’s insistence, MAPC did a GLAM analysis for Malden and found that affordable housing took up 3.13 percent of the city’s general land area. Those results give Malden a safe harbor from 40B projects and allow the city to maintain its control over residential development. But the GLAM results do not affect MAPC’s analysis of Malden’s housing needs. According to MAPC, Malden is almost halfway through a 20-year growth period which will see the population increase by 21 percent, or 12,400 residents, by 2030. A strong regional economy is pushing the demand for housing, particularly in gateway cities like Malden. MAPC predicts that over the next 11 years, the city will see a demand for 3,900 more residential units. That demand is expected to trigger hikes in rents and home ownership costs that will hit hardest among lower income families, or 56 percent the city’s current households, and renters, who account for 59 percent of Malden households. MAPC’s report warns that the rising cost of housing will push lower income residents out of Malden and foster a trend toward gentrification that will change the character of the community and blunt the diversity that is a source of pride for the city. According to MAPC, expanding the housing supply, particularly the supply of affordable housing, will relieve some of the market pressure and generate some stability for the community. In addition to U.S. Census data, the American Community Survey and city records on real estate property and transMA Women’s Political Caucus endorses Amanda Linehan for Malden Ward 3 City Council T he Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus (MWPC) PAC has announced its endorsement of Amanda Linehan for the Ward 3 seat on Malden’s City Council. Linehan is a mom, homeowner, and progressive candidate for Malden City Council, running on a platform that promotes inclusion, transparency, and communication between local government and Malden residents. She believes our community’s diversity is its strength, and wants to elevate the concerns of women, youth and all under-represented voices in civic affairs. “No measure of a community’s progress can be made without a truly representative elected body. We believe decisions about our communities should include women’s voices. We need leaders like Amanda Linehan, who will be a strong decision maker and advocate on the Malden City Council,” said Pam Berman, President of the MWPC. “We need to change the face of leadership in Massachusetts, where fewer than 27 percent of municipal offices are held by women. MWPC is proud to endorse and stand with Amanda Linehan.” “I am honored to receive gether.” The MWPC is a nonpartisan organization committed to increasing the number of women elected to public office and appointed to public policy positions. For more information, visit www.mwpc.org. Learn more about Linehan and get involved in the campaign at AmandaLinehan.org. actions, the MAPC report relied on input gathered through interviews, focus groups and a 10-member Advisory Committee. The report acknowledges that some residents and city officials expressed concerns that building more residential housing will aggravate existing problems with traffic, increase pressure on city schools and public services and decrease civic participation and the city’s sense of community. “But more often we heard from Maldonians who welcome new development, including Affordable Housing, and new residents who add to the city’s diversity and support local businesses,” wrote the MACP staff. The report is meant to be a tool for the city, and Malden is not bound to any of MAPC’s recommendations. The Malden Redevelopment Authority and the Advisory Committee intend to hold more public meetings to discuss MAPC’s findings and how to incorporate them into Malden’s planning strategies. AUTOTECH 1989 SINCE Is your vehicle ready for the Summer Season?!! AC SPECIAL Recharge your vehicle's AC for the warm weather! 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