Harpswell Affordable Housing Working Group Draft Report Overview

TOWN OF HARPSWELL AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKING GROUP DRAFT REPORT

This presentation is intended as a high level overview of the AHWG draft report. Our intent is to familiarize members of the Comprehensive Plan Task Force with our process, findings and recommendations. Please refer to the report itself for details and specifics.

I. INTRODUCTION 2022 Select Board creates Affordable Housing Working Group (AHWG) Mission: Study and define Harpswell s housing needs, especially for middle and lower income residents Goal: Recommend possible solutions No magic bullet will solve the entire problem, however Our recommendations will have impact and are steps in the right direction As affordable housing has many definitions, AHWG will use the term attainable housing The working group strongly recommends establishment of a town committee or permanent entity with overall responsibility for housing

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recommended Actions Process Create additional attainable housing Rental and for sale Single and multi-unit dwellings Establish home share programs, Encourage construction of ADUs Make town land available Revise specific zoning requirements Designate attainable housing districts Utilize Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Reviewed successful programs in other communities Retained housing consultant Ivy Vann Prioritized protection and availability of groundwater Organized pop-up events, community meeting and a survey to seek input from town residents Identified community housing needs Determined target populations

III. OBSTACLES TO THE CREATION OF ATTAINABLE HOUSING Available Land There is a shortage of available, affordable land suitable for building or development Groundwater Supplies Concern over new development adversely impacting groundwater supplies Land Use Regulations Preclude many proven approaches to creating attainable housing

III. OBSTACLES TO THE CREATION OF ATTAINABLE HOUSING Difficulties Created by Current Land Use Regulations Multi-unit buildings are treated as sub-divisions Each unit requires a lot of 80,000 sq. ft. (1.83 acres) Therefore a 4-unit building requires a lot of 7.3 acres Reconfiguring large older homes into 2+ dwelling units is not permitted due to the same area requirements as multi-unit buildings. Current workforce housing provision is complex and only applies to single family homes Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) are among the most successful models for attainable housing yet the Town s regulations are complex, confusing and provide no guidance.

IV. GUIDING PRINCIPLES Must meet the needs of Harpswell residents, workers and family members New attainable housing must be appropriate for Harpswell in both scale and character Must be sensitive to concerns about wells and groundwater

V. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT 4 Pop-Up Events Community Workshop Attainable Housing Survey ~100 attendees Opinions, ideas, information and preferences Themes: significant need, personal experiences, lack of housing options and availability, pricing ~60 attendees Harpswell Community School Themes: affordability, availability, proposed solutions, cost of maintenance and repairs, overlooked populations and lack of neighborhoods ~300 responses Online and Anchor (insert) Themes: in line with events and workshop

V. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT (CONTINUED) Results of voting and resident feedback Most popular choices for new attainable housing were cottages, duplexes, small apartment buildings, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and shared housing. Broad support for replicating the existing workforce housing subdivision developed a number of years ago, without the complexity and restrictions. Adding additional housing in existing villages was suggested, as well as the need for small communities and neighborhoods.

VI. TARGET POPULATIONS Fishermen sternmen & crews, dock hands, waterfront workers Trades people contractors, plumbers, electricians, landscapers Service personnel teachers, restaurant staff, clerks, caregivers Families next generation, reinvigorate schools, future workers Seniors local & long-term residents, downsizing, shifting housing needs

VII. HOUSING AVAILABILITY On September 12, 2023 there were 13 homes for sale in Harpswell at an average price of $1.05M The lowest priced home (and the only offering under $500K) was listed at $399K

VIII. OBJECTIVES & RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Underlying Concepts Intended for target populations without reference to income limits Adequate and appropriate groundwater and septic required for all proposals Minimum lots size requirements based on bedrooms, not units Must assure long-term affordability of attainable dwellings Favorable attainable housing provisions not applicable to short-term rentals

OBJECTIVES AND RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Create Attainable Rental Housing A Create Attainable For Sale Housing B Assist Seniors Changing Housing Needs C Support Private Entities Interested in Building Attainable Housing D Assure Alignment of Comprehensive Plan with said Objectives E

A. CREATE ATTAINABLE RENTAL HOUSING Relax rules on non-shoreland ADUs Implement an outreach program to assist homeowners interested in ADUs Base minimum lots size requirements on bedrooms, not units Allow single family homes to be divided into two dwelling units Permit small multi-family buildings of up to 12 units Permit attainable housing developments with a mix of building styles and sizes

B. CREATE ATTAINABLE FOR SALE HOUSING Permit new single family attainable homes on reduced lot sizes Permit attainable housing developments with a mix of building styles and sizes Explore partnering with Harpswell Heritage Land Trust to set aside buildable no- and low-cost lots for attainable housing

C. ASSIST SENIORS CHANGING HOUSING NEEDS Relax rules on non-shoreland ADUs Create a community loan fund to assist seniors with the costs of creating ADUs or dividing older homes Work with outside agency experienced in developing home share programs

D. SUPPORT PRIVATE ENTITIES INTERESTED IN BUILDING ATTAINABLE HOUSING Establish a town housing committee or other such entity Devise model attainable housing guidelines for developers Publicize town s interest in facilitating attainable housing Establish Attainable Housing Trust Fund Create a planned attainable housing district on Doughty Point Create attainable housing development in accord with the Mitchell Field Master Plan

E. ASSURE ALIGNMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WITH OBJECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS Comprehensive Plan should not impose or reinforce barriers to attainable housing Incorporate the concept of bedroom density in land use regulations Land use proposals should balance groundwater integrity with the need for attainable housing

IX. LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS State law requires zoning ordinances be consistent with a town s Comprehensive Plan Proposed land use amendments, including Affordable Housing TIF District, must be in revised Comprehensive Plan presented at Town Meeting Ordinance amendments that may be implemented prior to adoption of the Comprehensive Plan include: Revising ADUs provisions Changing workforce housing provisions to allow for attainable housing plan developments Conversion of single family homes into two dwelling units

STILL TO COME Section X Based on review of Objectives and Strategies Implementation Program Section XI Appendices To be added to final report