How Hamilton’s local preference will work in the Asbury Commons lottery

At the meeting Harborlight's Anna Cziedzic explained the local‑preference rules that will apply in the Asbury Commons lottery: an applicant qualifies for the local pool if they live in Hamilton, work in Hamilton, or have children enrolled in the regional school district. "You don't have to work for the town of Hamilton. You just have to work in the town of Hamilton," Cziedzic said, describing acceptable verification such as pay stubs, tax bills, leases or voter registration.

Cziedzic noted the state caps the local‑preference share entering the lottery: "We applied for 31 units, which were set to be 68%. That's the state maximum for local preference coming into the lottery." She added that if the local pool is under‑subscribed, units will roll to the open pool and then the long‑term waitlist will be formed from the open pool draw order. Board members clarified that employment verification may be minimal (one day per week can qualify) and that living in neighboring Wenham can qualify if the applicant’s child attends the regional school district.