Sudbury Housing Authority Duplex Project – Fact Sheet
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Currently, the Sudbury Housing Authority has available 17 units of family rental housing. On a percentage basis, the number of affordable housing units in town is about 5%, well below the state mandated standard of 10%. The SHA, as well as others in town, continues to look for opportunities to increase our inventory of affordable units at a reasonable cost. Since purchasing land is very expensive, fully utilizing land already owned by the SHA helps the economics of such efforts.
The SHA purchased several single family homes in the 1970s on Great Road, Ford Road and Greenwood Road. These homes were built in the 1950s and have four bedrooms. The waiting list for affordable rental housing in Sudbury has consistently shown families looking for one-, two-, or three-bedroom homes,– not for larger homes. By re-using these housing lots, the SHA can double the number of units on these lots available for families waiting for housing and provide the type of units that meet the needs of families on our waiting list. On Landham Road, the existing single- family home was donated to the SHA in 1999 and the lot has ample space to construct an additional building, also adding desirable small units to the affordable rental inventory. The new homes will be easier and less costly to maintain, fit well with the new types of homes being built in the neighborhood, and meet current building standards including energy efficient construction practices.
Three duplexes will contain 2-bedroom units on each side and will be located at Landham Road, Greenwood Road and 41 Great Road. Two duplexes will contain a 3-bedroom unit on one side and a 1-bedroom unit on the other, and will be located at Ford Road and 56 Great Road. The 1-bedroom unit at 56 Great will be wheelchair-accessible. There will be a net gain of six units of housing.
Since Sudbury’s bylaws do not allow duplex housing, it will be necessary for the SHA to go before the Zoning Board of Appeals for a waiver to build this housing. It is expected that a hearing will be held this winter, which will be followed by applications for financing. Construction could begin next summer. Since the construction will be modular, most of the work will be done in the factory, causing as little neighborhood disturbance as possible. If all goes as planned, the residents should be able to move into the new housing early in 2011.