Housing Trust eyes first affordable property purchase

By Mike Berger

The Canton Select Board and the town’s newly established Housing Trust Committee are considering whether the trust should pursue its first real estate opportunity by purchasing an affordable housing unit in the Turtle Brook condominium complex located off Route 138. The current owner of the unit has defaulted on payments and the property may go to public auction.

Acquisition of properties was one of the objectives of the trust when it was approved at the 2021 town meeting as proponents touted the importance of preserving the town’s affordable housing stock.

Members of the Housing Trust Committee met in joint session with the Select Board on Tuesday evening, and while the Turtle Brook opportunity was raised, the bulk of the conversation centered on jurisdictional issues with differing opinions expressed about which decisions require approval by the Select Board and which should be left to the Trust Committee.

Select Board Chair Mike Loughran and Vice Chair Lisa Lopez are both members of the Housing Trust Committee along with John McSweeney of the Housing Authority, Town Planner Laura Smead, Finance Director Randy Scollins, Town Administrator Charlie Aspinwall, and Planning Board member David McCarthy.

Both boards agree with the language approved at the 2021 town meeting that any decision regarding property purchases or other major financial decisions should be approved by the Select Board. However, there were differing opinions on whether contracts should be approved by the Select Board or left to the authority of the trust. The rest of the Select Board is considering whether new language better defining each board’s authority should be presented for action at the upcoming May town meeting.

The Select Board met in executive session Tuesday evening to discuss the real estate opportunity at 47 Turtle Brook and if a town loan is needed to pursue the opportunity.

Members of the Select Board and Housing Trust Committee also differ on whether the trust is being singled out for scrutiny on best practices. Scollins said the Revere & Son Heritage Trust is undergoing the same scrutiny while McCarthy said he believes the Trust Committee is being “picked on” by the Select Board.

McSweeney said he hopes the trust is able to pursue the real estate opportunity at Turtle Brook, noting that two affordable units, to his knowledge, have already been lost to auction.

In other news from Tuesday’s meeting:

* After meeting with the COVID Task Force Tuesday afternoon …

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