Proponent urges equitable distribution of affordable housing across Westborough; Affordable Housing Trust says current tools work toward that goal

Ted Gilbert presented Article 41 asking town meeting to support a resolution that all new affordable housing units in Westborough be located equally throughout the town rather than concentrated in particular neighborhoods.

Affordable Housing Trust representatives and planning staff outlined ongoing work (projects at Baylor Avenue, Lawton's Way preservation, potential Beach Street and Rogers Road opportunities) and described inclusionary zoning requirements in Westborough that require a baseline of affordable units in new residential developments. A Trust representative said the Trust "supports the intent" of broader distribution but that the term "equally throughout" raises feasibility and financial viability concerns; the Trust offered to propose amended wording on the floor to reflect how housing production and financing actually happen.

Select Board members urged engagement with the Trust's planning and the ongoing Housing Production Plan, saying those efforts aim to identify sites and funding that achieve geographically broader access to affordable housing while balancing project viability and proximity to services and transit. The committee encouraged proponents to work with the Trust and planning staff ahead of town meeting to craft an implementable article.