Dissolved effective June 25, 2025.
See Marblehead Housing Committee.
The mission of the Fair Housing Committee includes helping the public and town officials to understand and support fair and affordable housing through education, advocacy and awareness of opportunities; continually developing the committee’s expertise and acting as a resource to the public officials and the public at large; and developing and implementing programs that expand, enhance or rehabilitate the fair and affordable housing stock in Marblehead.
About the Committee
The Fair Housing Committee is composed of representatives from several groups within the town who are appointed by the Select Board to provide leadership on issues of fair and affordable housing. The committee assures that increasing access to good housing for all benefits the town economically and socially.
The committee seeks collaborative relationships with all other town agencies and organizations, including two non-profit organizations focused on affordable housing: The Marblehead Community Housing Corporation and the Connections Program.
Marblehead has an Equal Opportunity Officer who investigates any questions about discrimination in all housing. The officer can be reached at the Select Board Office at Abbot Hall.
Notable Successes
The Fair Housing Committee has seen many successes since its start in 1983. The Marblehead Fair Housing Committee (FHC) was created by the Board of Selectmen in 1983 to work to increase fairness and opportunity for residents and others who may want to live here, with the emphasis on low and moderate income people and minorities. Their accomplishments over the years are noted below.
2009 — Present:
The FHC played an important role as the town made incremental progress in the continuing process of increasing both the quantity and quality of affordable housing in the town. We supported Marblehead Community Housing Corporation (MCHC) to purchase two condos for resale as affordable housing, allocating funds from the Federal HOME program and other MCHC accounts. Condos on West Shore Drive and Pond Street were purchased, refurbished and sold using a lottery process.
We applied for the Town’s 2010 and 2011 HOME Consortium Federal funding allocation to assist in the rehabilitation of the existing four affordable housing rental units at the Sewall Building (a former school building on Elm Street) in order to preserve and maintain that property and undertake major restoration and renovation work. The FHC received unanimous approval from the Board of Selectmen. The amount of Federal funding is anticipated to be in a range around $100,000. Work began in 2012. Improvements were also initiated in the management and operation of the Sewall Building. Harborlight Community Partners, a respected North Shore housing organization, now provides management services for the building and its residents.
The FHC collaborated with the MCHC and a number of local advocates to conduct a fund raising and public information event in April 2011, held at the Landing Restaurant.
The complexities and importance of affordable housing in the town and the state led us to conduct an informal strategic planning process, in 2010 and again in 2012, which has provided useful guidance for the planning of our future work.
The FHC supported by the MCHC explored a development planned to include affordable for-sale units in the area of Litchman Terrace. The plan proposed did not contemplate reliance on the State “Chapter 40-B” provisions. A preliminary design would have placed 5 or 6 affordable housing units among a total in the range of 20. After extensive review that included discussions with neighbors and the Board of Selectmen, the project was abandoned.
We reinvigorated a working relationship with the Citizens Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), an important statewide organization supporting affordable housing. FHC continues to welcome collaborative relationships with other organization in our town and state.
We continued efforts to provide information and support to residents of affordable housing in the Town. These efforts included joining with the Marblehead League of Women Voters and the MCHC to sponsor an evening forum on affordable housing. One highlight of the event was the premier presentation of a power point presentation on the topic by Attorney Kurt James, a member of the Committee and the town’s Planning Board.
The FHC initiated a successful down payment assistance loan and grant program for buyers of the affordable units in two new 40B developments. Substantial HOME funds have been distributed to date.
2000 — 2009:
FHC members advised the Zoning Board of Appeals about the Marblehead Highlands Project, the town’s first 40B project, which has 22 affordable units in its proposed 88 total condo units. We proposed several key conditions to be met by the developer and our members monitored the lengthy development process for the project. (2003-2004.)
The Committee joined the North Shore Housing Trust, which promotes regional approaches to solving the affordable Housing problems in this area.
In 2009 the Selectmen appointed a Smart Growth Advisory Committee to plan for a Smart Growth Initiative. Planning includes consideration of creating an Affordable Housing Trust, undertaking a housing master plan, creating 40R Smart Growth, Overlay District and adopting an Inclusionary Zoning By-law. Members of the FHC played important roles in this new effort.
Before 2000:
The FHC drafted a comprehensive new policy resolution on affordable housing that was passed unanimously in 1986 by the Town Meeting.
The town was designated as a Massachusetts Housing Partnership Community in 1989.
The town joined the Essex County HOME Consortium in 1991. This has enabled Marblehead to receive about $60,000 a year of Federal HOME FUNDS for various affordable housing projects.
The FHC proposed the creation of a non-profit organization, Marblehead Community Housing Corporation (MCHC), which was formed to create affordable housing opportunities in the town.
The Town Meeting approved an article in 1992 allowing a non-profit housing corporation to acquire the Sewell Building (former school and town office on Elm Street) for affordable housing. The Committee approved the bid of the MCHC to acquire the building from the town. The building was gutted and renovated with outside financing, creating two two-bedroom and two three-bedroom apartments for moderate income people.
The Committee provided advice and assistance to a new (501 c-3) non-profit membership organization, Connections Program, Inc., which was formed to foster affordable housing and diversity.
We assist the town with a Housing Rehabilitation Program, which has spent more than $120,000 of HOME funds. Improvements were initiated in the management and conditions in the Sewall Building on Elm Street, which contains four affordable rental units. Harborlight Community Partners, a respected North Shore housing organization, now provides management services for the building and its residents.
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
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.
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.
Marblehead has a population of approximately 20,000 with a land area of 4.4 square miles and is bordered by Swampscott on the south, Salem on the southwest and the Atlantic Ocean on the west, north and east. The town is located 17 miles north of Boston.
Marblehead is known for its colorful history, its beautiful harbor, hundreds of colonial era houses, fine restaurants and good public schools and services. The town is proud of its ranking in 2004 as “the most affordable town in the state” by Boston Magazine. The ratings took into account living costs, educational quality and the environment.
The town’s businesses include a few manufacturing companies and numerous small businesses and retail shops including grocery stores, a wide variety of restaurants, coffee houses, donut shops and delicatessens.
There are multiple cultural opportunities including museums, an annual arts festival, nature preserves, a public recreation program, public tennis courts and several beaches. The arts are a vital and flourishing aspect of community life in Marblehead. The Marblehead Arts Association and the Marblehead Festival of Arts are just two examples.
In addition, there are many galleries and artists’ cooperatives located throughout the town. Theater, music, dance and writing are also well represented. The Marblehead Little Theatre, one of the oldest community theatre groups in New England, has a permanent home in the historic old firehouse on School Street. Symphony by the Sea, a well-regarded symphony orchestra, is based in Marblehead and performs several times a year.
Marblehead’s varied terrain and history have given rise to many neighborhoods with distinct characteristics, some of which have neighborhood organizations. Among the largest and most influential are the Clifton Improvement Association (CIA), the Marblehead Neck Association, the Old Marblehead Improvement Association (OMIA), the Powder House Association and the Shipyard Association.
In an era of rapid changes in communication and media throughout the world, residents still want to know about their local area. Marblehead is served by its own weekly newspaper as well as two regional newspapers that carry information and news pertaining to the town. There is also a local channel on the town’s cable television system that covers local news, events and public meetings.
Marblehead is also home to several religious institutions, social service agencies, civic organizations, social clubs, environmental groups and community groups. Local community centers offer a wide variety of year-round activities and services for both children and adults.
The town’s proximity to Boston makes the community a desirable location in which to live. There is bus service between Marblehead and Boston as well as commuter rail service from the neighboring communities of Swampscott and Salem. Logan International Airport is only a 30-minute commute from Marblehead.
Marblehead benefits from being a part of the greater North Shore area as well as having good access to all the good things that Boston offers. Our affordable housing organizations give first priority to residents of our town as many lower and moderate income people in the town have difficulty finding homes, condos or apartments that they can afford. For example, there are young couples from families whose families have been “Marbleheaders” for two or three or more generations who can now not afford to remain here.
About Affordable Housing in Massachusetts
The most important thing to know about affordable housing is that there is not enough of it in many parts of the United States, including Massachusetts and Marblehead. This shortage affects all citizens and taxpayers, not just those who need affordable housing. The need for affordable housing in Marblehead clearly exists and the Fair Housing Committee has identified strategies to try to meet those needs.
A technical definition used by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is:
“Affordable housing is housing affordable to those earning less than 80% of the median income, and subject to an affordability restriction lasting for at least 30 years.”
Need for Affordable Housing in Marblehead
In Marblehead even a household earning the town’s median income not only cannot afford to buy a median-priced home but cannot manage even the least expensive three-bedroom home.
The topic is a complex one. There are multiple causes of the shortage. There are scores of organizations and resourcres for applicants, for community leaders and civic officials and for individuals and organizations interested in working to meet the need.
According to many experts the housing affordability crisis in Massachusetts now affects all but the most affluent consumers and threatens to undermine the state’s economic competitiveness. Especially in the Eastern part of the state (including Marblehead) where housing costs have risen dramatically over the past decade, outstripping income growth. A recent study reported that the state now has the second highest affordability problem in the continental U.S., trailing only California.
There is also a scarcity of housing which, in turn, leads to a scarcity of affordable housing. The Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) cites several factors for this scarcity, including:
- The high cost and relative scarcity of land available for residential development;
- Higher production costs associated with the development of more marginal sites;
- High wages and competition from commercial and other types of development;
- A complex maze of restrictive local zoning, subdivision controls and local permitting. (Among the local boards and committees whose approval may be required for a single unit of housing are Conservation Commission, Board of Health, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and Historical Commission.)
Most of the units that do get built represent the high end of the market in almost all communities, including Marblehead, contributing to unbalanced local housing markets.
The affordable housing challenge is great for Marblehead and most other towns. Expanding the supply of affordable housing while balancing concerns related to transportation, infrastructure, protecting the environment, town services, school enrollments and fiscal capacity is a daunting task. In most Massachusetts towns the task is played out in an environment shaped by a strong history of home rule and local use decision-making, which often pits local interests against regional needs and housing needs against other priorities.
In Marblehead the high cost of both rental and home buying is a huge barrier for many local residents of lower or moderate income and for residents in other towns interested in taking advantage of the many assets that Marblehead has to offer.
The Marblehead Fair Housing Committee hopes to make living in Marblehead a welcome reality for many who now can’t afford it. The committee is committed to policies and procedures that will help to expand affordable housing opportunities while increasing diversity in our community.
The Fair Housing Committee’s strategy for achieving this is through education and collaboration.
Helping to educate the citizens of Marblehead is an important role for the committee. Many supporters of affordable housing believe that racial, ethnic and socio-economic diversity can be a wonderfully enriching opportunity for Marblehead residents. In conjunction with other organizations, the committee works to promote the benefits of living in a town with a culturally and ethnically diverse citizenry, to establish a dialog with those concerned about such a possibility and to facilitate discussion about the many issues pertaining to diversity and housing.
To achieve its goals, the committee needs a lot of help. It seeks that help from neighbors, agencies and institutions both within and outside of Marblehead.