The Kingston Affordable Housing Trust convened on January 8 to address the town’s ongoing struggle to meet state housing mandates, noting that Kingston’s Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) currently sits at 5.18 percent. This figure remains roughly halfway to the 10 percent goal required by the state to provide the town more control over 40B development projects. During the session, members highlighted a recent five-lot subdivision filing off Forest Street within the Indian Pond Estates area. Paul Armstrong pointed out that developers frequently design projects just under the six-unit threshold to avoid mandatory affordable housing contributions. Armstrong suggested the town consider policy changes to capture value from smaller developments, stating, Maybe the language should be a little different as far as a contribution starting early on or percentage of contribution... if in fact you want to stimulate it to have money in the fund.

Beyond new developments, the Trust discussed the potential expansion of senior living options through existing permits. Armstrong reported a whisper in the wind regarding the Windgate facility, which may hold an older, non-expiring permit to build townhouses or additional assisted living units that could provide a continuum of care for local seniors. Jean Landis Snowman emphasized that the town's forthcoming Housing Production Plan (HPP) needs to be paired with robust community outreach to address resident concerns about growth. I think it would be really important to have a public meeting to explain what it is and at that time include information on what is affordable housing, what is subsidized housing, what are ADUs, Snowman said, noting that many residents value small-town character but require more education on the community benefits of diverse housing types.

The conversation also touched on the difficulties residents face when attempting to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), even as the state and town encourage them as a solution for aging in place. Eric Cone shared reports of homeowners being put through the ringer by various local departments during the permitting process. The younger generation, they're not finding the homes here... so they're looking elsewhere, Cone remarked, stressing that without starter homes or more accessible ADU paths, the town risks losing its younger demographic. Cone also cited state data indicating that while Kingston’s eviction filings are relatively low at 16.5 per 10,000 households, the town must remain vigilant as regional homelessness rates rise. Following the discussion of housing data, the board approved its previous records. Motion Made by Paul Armstrong to approve the minutes of October 2nd as presented. Motion Passed 3-0

The meeting concluded with a review of the Trust’s application to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for continued funding. Members expressed interest in investigating how other Massachusetts municipalities automatically transfer housing-specific preservation funds directly to their housing trusts to increase efficiency. Trust members plan to consult with Town Administrator Scott Lambiase to explore the technical aspects of such a transfer mechanism. Motion Made by Paul Armstrong to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 6:56 PM