Hannah Kimberley
Candidate for:
Councilor at Large
What do you see as the biggest housing problems in Gloucester; whom do they affect; and what would you do to rectify these problems?
What do you see as the biggest housing problems in Gloucester; whom do they affect; and what would you do to rectify these problems? The biggest problem is a variety of missing housing for a range of income levels and needs (senior housing, workforce housing, middle class housing, etc.). Nearly 50% of Gloucester renters are housing cost burdened (they pay more than 30% of their income on rent. One third of Gloucester homeowners are also cost burdened, spending more on housing than other needs. We can make inclusionary zoning more efficient, which the planning department is currently reviewing. We need to continue to look at fresh data. I am interested in seeing what the planning board decided to do re: getting more units built vs. builders making payments in lieu of building affordable housing. I am also interested in the data from the short term rental ordinance. Gloucester needs commitment to a vision for housing. The Comprehensive Plan is the vision, and the Housing Production Plan is our tool to help get the job done.
Gloucester is on its way to addressing its housing challenges. This spring, the city completed a 10-year Comprehensive Plan, which lays out the vision for Gloucester’s future and identifies housing as a top priority. The City is working with the Massachusetts Area Planning Council (MAPC) to develop a new Housing Production Plan (HPP), which is a strategy to meet the housing goals set in the Comprehensive Plan. Once approved by the state, the plan will give Gloucester more control over how and where housing gets built.
How do you define affordable housing and workforce housing and whom do you see as needing them?
Workforce housing is housing for people who work. Affordable housing is for people who may be disabled or retired. The terms can be interchangeable at times. There are different affordability needs for different populations of people. Teachers, tradespeople, nurses, etc. don’t qualify for market rate housing, and may earn too much to qualify for certain subsidized housing.
What are you hearing from businesses and employers about their ability to hire or retain workers given the current housing situation?
If a worker cannot afford to pay rent or buy a house in Gloucester, they will likely look for work where they can afford to live. Local business owners see housing not just as a social issue, but as a key factor in Gloucester’s economic competitiveness and ability to sustain a thriving workforce.
Do you think new housing development is being shared fairly across all neighborhoods in Gloucester? If not, where is it lacking, and how can the City address this inequity?
No. Areas like West Gloucester, East Gloucester, and Magnolia have fewer affordable units compared to downtown, a pattern driven by historic zoning, infrastructure limitations, and people's resistance to density. The City could address this by distributing new homes across Gloucester rather than clustering them in just a few districts, which would make it so that each part of the City contributes to solving the housing shortage while preserving community character.
What specific steps will you take to increase the supply of affordable and workforce housing in Gloucester, especially for local workers and young people and young families?
I wouldn’t be out there building housing myself, but as a Councilor I’d help set the rules and priorities that shape where homes can go and what kinds get built. The Council decides zoning, whether city-owned land can be used for housing, and how local dollars get directed to encourage more affordable and workforce housing. My job would be to back good projects, push for resources from the state, and work with partners who want to invest here. We won’t solve the housing crisis overnight, but we can make it a lot easier to create homes that people in Gloucester can actually afford.
Now that Massachusetts has legalized Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) by right in all residential areas, what proactive or incentivizing steps can the City take to encourage their development as part of Gloucester’s broader housing strategy?
ADUs are great, but they are expensive to build. We need to go beyond just allowing ADUs by right and make it easier for folks to build them. We can streamline permitting, provide pre-approved building plans, and explore small grants or low-interest loans to help with construction costs. State law prevents the use as short term rentals, rented less than 30 days at a time.
Education is also a key component to this. By educating our citizens via meetings, public awareness campaigns, and technical assistance, we can educate residents about the benefits and feasibility of ADUs.
Where do you stand on two or three family homes across all neighborhoods to meet the housing needs of the average Gloucester family and worker?
I support allowing two-and three-family homes across all neighborhoods as a key part of addressing Gloucester’s housing shortage and keeping our community livable for working families. Gloucester’s traditional neighborhoods already include many beautiful multi-family homes; this kind of housing can strengthen community character rather than harm it without relying solely on large apartment complexes or expensive single-family homes.
Do you generally support building more modest size and clustered housing—such as duplexes, multi-family, townhouses etc.? If so, where in the city do you see opportunities for this kind of housing development?
I support adding more modest homes like duplexes, townhouses, small multifamily buildings, and mixed use development to give workers, families, and seniors more options. There are opportunities near downtown, train and bus lines, and commercial corridors (Eastern Ave., parts of Magnolia, downtown, etc.) as well as city-owned and underused lots, where clustered housing can fit well. If elected as a Councilor at Large, I would focus on zoning reforms, incentives, and partnerships to increase these opportunities, which would align with our Comprehensive Plan and upcoming Housing Production Plan. This would help to keep Gloucester accessible for people who work here, raise families here, and want to grow old here.
What specific zoning reforms or other modifications would you advocate to support more housing, including for example, multi-family, accessory dwelling units, and affordable homes? How could permitting and approvals be streamlined while preserving community input and environmental protections? Do you support eliminating or modifying practices like minimum lot sizes or parking requirements?
The City can make zoning changes to allow for more homes while still protecting our community’s character and environment. We should expand where multi-family housing and ADUs are allowed by right, especially near transit and commercial areas, and encourage small-scale homes like duplexes and townhouses. Updating rules like minimum lot sizes, height restrictions, and excessive parking requirements could make it easier and more affordable to build.
To support affordable housing, we can strengthen inclusionary zoning so every development contributes units or funding, and leverage city-owned land and state programs to partner with nonprofits like Harborlight Homes and Action Inc.
If elected as Councilor at Large, I would support modernizing Gloucester’s zoning where possible to allow a variety of homes for workers, families, and seniors, while at the same time streamlining approvals, listening to community concerns, and staying true to our community/coastal character.
What role should the City play in encouraging the redevelopment of underutilized commercial or industrial sites, such as the Shaw’s properties, into housing or mixed-use developments? What incentives could the City offer to support this?
The City should take an active role in redeveloping underutilized commercial properties, like the Shaw’s sites, into mixed-use or housing developments. These parcels already have infrastructure and are close to transit, making them ideal for new homes, retail, and community spaces. That being said, the Shaw’s sites are privately owned, so the owner would have to agree, obviously.
To encourage redevelopment, Gloucester can explore Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreements to help offset upfront costs, as well as offer density bonuses and expedited approvals for projects that include affordable or workforce housing. We can also appeal to state and federal programs (MassWorks, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) grants, the Affordable Homes Act, etc.) and work with nonprofit partners to ensure redevelopment meets community needs. This approach turns underused properties into thriving, tax-generating hubs while keeping Gloucester’s neighborhoods vibrant and livable.
Would you support a “Tenant Opportunity to Purchase” ordinance, enabling tenants the first right to purchase a building if the owner decides to put it on the market?
I support exploring this idea. There are several Massachusetts cities and towns that are in the process of adopting something similar. If a homeowner has a long-term tenant, and the owner wants to sell their property, they should at least give the tenant the right of first refusal. It would be great if the tenant were afforded a window of time to figure out if they could afford to buy the home.
What steps would you take to prevent the displacement of long-term residents and vulnerable populations as housing costs rise? Do you support the Rent Stabilization bill currently before the Legislature? Why or why not?
I am open to exploring the Rent Stabilization bill. On one hand, it would give us the ability to ensure rent increases remain fair and predictable for residents (it includes exemptions for newly constructed housing and small landlords). On the other hand, we want to make sure that the opportunities surpass the unintended consequences like landlords keeping their rents artificially high or converting to condo ownership, not reinvesting into their properties for safety and maintenance, and preventing natural turnover making it harder for newcomers to find housing.
Would you consider policies like Real Estate Transfer fees on high-end properties to increase funding for the Affordable Housing Trust? Would you support a Home Rule Petition to establish a small percentage Gloucester transfer fee on real estate transactions over $2 million?
100% Yes. To be clear, the surcharge is applied only to the amount over the threshold, not the entire sale price. So for a $2.5M sale, with a $2M threshold and a 2% fee, the first $2M is exempt and the fee would apply only to the $500K. Two percent of $500K would be a $10,000 transfer fee, likely just a fraction of the owner's realtor costs.
How will you work to keep Gloucester livable and affordable for fishermen, teachers, service workers, young people and families, and seniors—particularly when it comes to housing, transportation, and access to essential services?
As a Councilor at Large, I would support zoning reforms to allow more modest homes, multi-family homes, and ADUs. I would work to grow the Affordable Housing Trust through tools like a high-end real estate transfer fee and partnering with nonprofits to build and better preserve affordable housing. I would also advocate for safer, more walkable/bikeable streets, and better bus and commuter rail service. I support access to essential services like childcare, healthcare, and senior support. By aligning housing, transit, and services, we can protect Gloucester’s character while ensuring folks can afford to stay here.
Earlier we asked about access to housing for seniors and young people. How will you work to reduce the shortage of affordable housing—particularly for other vulnerable households facing housing insecurity or homelessness? What steps would you take to expand access to supportive housing for people with disabilities, mental health needs, or substance use disorders?
Nearly 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. As a Councilor at Large, I would focus on zoning reforms, funding tools, and partnerships to expand affordable and supportive housing. I’d strengthen inclusionary housing rules and grow the Affordable Housing Trust as a local funding tool that helps the City invest in and unlock state and federal dollars to create and preserve affordable housing. I would also support nonprofits like Action Inc. and Harborlight Homes to create homes with services for seniors, young people, and vulnerable residents. My role would be to clear barriers and direct resources so more Gloucester residents can stay housed and supported.
Housing policy intersects with issues like transit, racial equity, climate resilience, and economic sustainability. How can Gloucester’s housing policies advance progress in these areas?
Gloucester’s housing policies can support transit access, racial equity, climate resilience, and economic sustainability. Building more homes near transit, downtown, and job centers reduces car dependence, supports local businesses, and keeps neighborhoods vibrant. Distributing affordable homes citywide and enforcing fair-housing standards advances equity, while policies like rental assistance, just-cause eviction protections, and Tenant Opportunity to Purchase ordinances help prevent displacement. Focusing growth in areas with existing infrastructure, reusing older buildings, and requiring energy-efficient construction lowers costs, protects open space, and cuts emissions. Tools like inclusionary zoning, a high-end real estate transfer fee, and partnerships can create affordable and workforce housing and revitalize underused sites like the Shaw’s properties. Together, these strategies align housing with Gloucester’s long-term goals, keeping the city livable, equitable, and environmentally responsible.
How will you promote the development of energy-efficient, climate-resilient housing in Gloucester to address rising energy costs and climate risks? Do you support requiring all-electric systems in all new construction as part of that effort? Why or why not?
If I were elected Councilor at Large, I wouldn’t be designing buildings or deciding individual Housing Trust grants, but I would play a key role in setting the rules, funding streams, and partnerships that shape Gloucester’s housing and energy future.I could also advocate for builders and homeowners to access state and federal programs that offset costs as needed. I would support moving toward all-electric systems in new construction, but I would want to phase it in thoughtfully and pair it with resources so small builders and homeowners aren’t left behind. My focus would be on creating a framework that helps Gloucester lower energy costs, cut emissions, and prepare for climate risks without slowing housing production or overburdening residents.