Ayer Affordable Housing Committee votes to seek $30,000 CPA grant for new housing trust

AYER -- July 10, 2020, Ayer's Affordable Housing Committee voted unanimously to seek $30,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to establish a new municipal affordable housing trust, setting up a two-article push at the town's October 26 fall town meeting. Committee Chair Janet, who also chairs the Community Preservation Committee and will abstain when the funding application comes before that body, said the trust would allow the town to deploy rental assistance and support affordable development without waiting for town meeting approval each time. Members debated between $20,000 and $30,000, with a committee member identified as Ron noting the acute local need: there are currently zero rental units available in Ayer, and a one-bedroom apartment at 49 Main Street already had 75 people on its waiting list at a price of roughly $1,000 per month. The $30,000 figure represents approximately 4.4 percent of the estimated $680,000 annual CPA yield under the town's recently restored 3 percent surcharge.