| Town of Wellesley
Affordable Housing Needs Assessment |
| LDS is working with the Wellesley Housing Development
Corporation on an inventory of existing affordable housing in
Wellesley and surrounding communities. LDS is also examining
demographics to determine the need for specific types of affordable
housing and looking at past lotteries in communities to study
preference matters. |
| Stow Community Housing
Corporation Strategic Planning |
LDS completed a study for the Stow Community Housing Corporation
to assist them with its strategic planning process regarding
the possible expansion of existing affordable elderly and multi-family
rental developments. The study involved researching supply
and demand and preparing a questionnaire for Stow residents
to get feedback on the need for affordable housing. |
| Massachusetts Downtown
Initiative Program |
As technical assistance consultant for the Massachusetts
Department of Housing and Community Developments Massachusetts
Downtown Initiative Program, LDS worked with the state Department
of Economic Development and Planning for the Town of Southbridge.
The study examined vacant building issues in the downtown area.
The report examined issues and solutions and provided funding
mechanisms and a case study. LDS also gave a public presentation
of its findings and recommendations to local business owners. |
| Town of Ashland Supply
& Demand Analysis |
| LDS was project director for
a supply and demand analysis for affordable housing in the Town
of Ashland. The analysis helped determine how to best position
two properties for disposition by the community. One site was
affordable rental housing over retail, and the other was affordable
elderly rental and mixed-income, for-sale town houses. LDS also
oversaw Sharon Loewenthal, who provided financial pro-formas,
and Lisa Davis, who provided a retail market analysis. |
| Harvard Housing Authority
Elderly Housing Needs Assessment |
LDS prepared a supply and demand analysis for Harvard Housing
Authority to help identify the need for affordable senior housing
in the Town of Harvard. |
| City of Marlborough
Feasibility Analysis |
| LDS was hired
to perform a feasibility analysis for the City of Marlborough
for the former Frye boot site. The goal of these services was
to help the City understand the need for various types of housing
on the site in order to prepare them to convey the site for some
type of housing use with an affordable component. In addition
to a supply and demand analysis for various types of housing
and interviewing community services providers, LDS will conduct
four focus groups with different constituencies. |
| A Somerville
Community Development Corporation — Zoning Overlay
Consultant |
| LDS was hired
by a Somerville Community Development Corporation to examine
proposed zoning changes to the Union Square Zoning as they related
to the creation of affordable housing in Somerville. LDS compared
existing zoning to the proposed zoning as to how it will impact
the costs for a development and therefore the number of affordable
units to be created. |
| Town of Framingham
Chapter 40B Technical Assistance |
LDS represented
the Town of Framingham Zoning Board of Appeals on local need
and financial issues in connection with a friendly Chapter
40B application for Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly
for 150 units of elderly rental housing. |
| Town of South
Kingstown, RI — Affordable Housing Needs Assessment |
In connection
with a federal funding application for the Peace Dale Village
neighborhood, LDS prepared an income level survey for the Town
of South Kingstown, RI. LDS mailed out over 300 surveys and
prepared a report based on a 42% response rate. |
