Affordable Housing Trust expands rental support, creates development fund and backs housing-needs study
May 26, 2026 | Westford Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
The Affordable Housing Trust outlined Tuesday night how it is expanding and refining rental-support programs and preparing longer-term tools to preserve and create affordable housing across Westford.
"RAP provides monthly assistance to income-restricted seniors and families facing hardship, and we increased capacity in 2026 from five to eight families with CPC funds," Joanie Croto, chair of the Affordable Housing Trust, told the Select Board. She said the Westford Rental Assistance Program (RAP) is administered with the Westford Housing Authority and the Council on Aging.
The trust also described the Westford Emergency Rental Assistance Program (WRAP), which supplements the state RAFT program where RAFT limits proved insufficient. "RAFT was only $7,500 when we first started and that did not cover many months of arrears," Croto said, adding that WRAP can make up the difference for eligible households and provide payments directly to landlords.
Croto said the trust is supporting an updated Housing Production Plan and a detailed housing needs assessment with NEMCOG to identify local needs by income and household type (seniors, young families, the "missing middle"). The trust also launched a housing development fund to provide down-payment assistance and to preserve deed-restricted ownership units that are at risk of returning to market rate.
"We are particularly concerned about the 'missing middle': town employees, teachers and others who are over typical affordable-income limits but cannot afford market-rate housing," Croto said. The trust is exploring options including down-payment assistance and targeted help to preserve ownership units under deed restrictions.
Board members asked about administrative capacity for growing programs; Croto said the trust is considering contracting consultant services with the Westford Housing Authority to handle additional application processing and program administration.
The Select Board received the presentation and thanked the trust for the work; no board action was required.
"RAP provides monthly assistance to income-restricted seniors and families facing hardship, and we increased capacity in 2026 from five to eight families with CPC funds," Joanie Croto, chair of the Affordable Housing Trust, told the Select Board. She said the Westford Rental Assistance Program (RAP) is administered with the Westford Housing Authority and the Council on Aging.
The trust also described the Westford Emergency Rental Assistance Program (WRAP), which supplements the state RAFT program where RAFT limits proved insufficient. "RAFT was only $7,500 when we first started and that did not cover many months of arrears," Croto said, adding that WRAP can make up the difference for eligible households and provide payments directly to landlords.
Croto said the trust is supporting an updated Housing Production Plan and a detailed housing needs assessment with NEMCOG to identify local needs by income and household type (seniors, young families, the "missing middle"). The trust also launched a housing development fund to provide down-payment assistance and to preserve deed-restricted ownership units that are at risk of returning to market rate.
"We are particularly concerned about the 'missing middle': town employees, teachers and others who are over typical affordable-income limits but cannot afford market-rate housing," Croto said. The trust is exploring options including down-payment assistance and targeted help to preserve ownership units under deed restrictions.
Board members asked about administrative capacity for growing programs; Croto said the trust is considering contracting consultant services with the Westford Housing Authority to handle additional application processing and program administration.
The Select Board received the presentation and thanked the trust for the work; no board action was required.
Don't Miss a Word: See the Full Meeting!
Go beyond summaries. Unlock every video, transcript, and key insight with a Founder Membership.
✓
Get instant access to full meeting videos
✓
Search and clip any phrase from complete transcripts
✓
Receive AI-powered summaries & custom alerts
✓
Enjoy lifetime, unrestricted access to government data
30-day money-back guarantee
