Montague receives Hero Housing award

By JULIAN MENDOZA

Staff Writer

Published: 05-19-2023 12:33 PM

MONTAGUE — The town has received the Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s annual Housing Hero award for its commitment to establishing affordable housing, Town Planner Maureen Pollock announced at this week’s Selectboard meeting.

The annual award, which has been given to a handful of winners since 2011, “recognizes individuals and communities across the commonwealth who have demonstrated great passion and tenacity in supporting and furthering affordable housing,” states a letter written by Laura Shufelt, director of community assistance for the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, to Assistant Town Administrator Walter Ramsey.

“In a state where local decisions about more housing are made at the local level, we think it’s important to recognize elected officials, municipal staff, local leaders and volunteers for their role in supporting affordable homes and convincing residents to do likewise,” Rus Lodi, the Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s director of public affairs said in a statement posted on the nonprofit’s website.

Montague is one of three awardees in 2023. According to Shufelt, a city and a nonprofit will also receive the award, but specific awardees will not be announced until June.

“We want to recognize Montague’s strong history and continued efforts in support of affordable housing,” Shufelt’s letter reads. “The town has made remarkable progress toward creating more housing diversity through housing stock rehabilitation, zoning reforms, thoughtful planning and building more homes.”

The Massachusetts Housing Partnership, which helps develop policies and financial strategies to promote affordable housing across the state, praised Montague for proactively seeking support from the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, Rural Development Inc., the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association’s Municipal Engagement Initiative and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s Complete Neighborhood Initiative to further development efforts. Pollock added that Montague’s commitment of Community Development Block Grant funding toward rehabilitating existing housing stock, streamlining of the permit process for accessory dwelling units and adoption of zoning amendments — such as the amendment that established 40R Smart Growth Overlay Districts on First Street and The Patch — were recognized through the Housing Hero award.

“We would like to recognize that, despite being a small and rural community, Montague is furthering the relationships, investments and policies needed to meaningfully build upon the impactful progress on housing initiatives,” Shufelt wrote in her letter.

“All hats off to Walter Ramsey, who, of course, is my predecessor as the town planner, for all of this dedicated work thus far,” Pollock said.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

Greenfield Police seek robbery suspect
Driver taken to hospital after Interstate 91 rollover in Bernardston
New Salem man faces charges after striking school bus in Barre
My Turn: Biden’s record and accomplishments are extremely positive
‘There’s nothing we can’t fix’: Busy Bee Computers opens in Greenfield
Greenfield’s Lucas Allenby, Landon Allenby qualify for USASA Nationals

Pollock and Ramsey will attend a ceremony and luncheon honoring the awardees on Thursday, June 15, at 12:45 p.m. at the Marriott Springhill Suites and Conference Center in Devens.

Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-930-4231 or jmendoza@recorder.com.

]]>