Paul Lundberg
Candidate for:
Mayor
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 affordability and lack of availability of housing for those groups of our citizens - teachers, healthcare workers, municipal employees, artists, seniors, and families with school age children - who comprise the rich fabric of our community diversity. Those groups were identified in Plan 2000 as crucial to our community character, and in need of housing planning and reform. I would lead the planning and legislative efforts to accomplish that goal.
How do you define affordable housing and workforce housing and whom do you see as needing them?
Affordable housing is that which requires no more that 30% of a family's income to own or rent a home. Workforce housing is housing costs that are 30% of what families identified in Answer #1 earn in a year - somewhere in the range of $120K to $165K..
What are you hearing from businesses and employers about their ability to hire or retain workers given the current housing situation?
It is very difficult for businesses in Gloucester to attract employees because of the high housing costs and the lack of available housing stock - both for purchase and for rental.
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?
Gloucester has an abundance of open space, some of which can be developed for housing with smart zoning. There are such opportunities in all 5 Wards of the City.
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 would revive the suggestions from the Housing Production Working group that failed to pass the City Council because of the objections of the "by right" aspects of some of those proposals.With foresight and some creativity, the City can recraft and pass that zoning flexibility that will lead directly to more affordable units.
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?
The City's tools including zoning incentives and property tax incentives. Taken together, those civic tools can be targeted to locations where increased housing and density make sense, while preserving our neighborhood character.
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?
Those options are critical to increasing housing. Care must be taken to preserve the wide varieties of neighborhood character, especially where only single family residences exist today. With creativity and neighborhood support, we can accomplish this solution to our housing needs.
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?
Yes. We have the ability - through creative and thoughtful zoning - to regard neighborhood character while increasing units in most neighborhoods.
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?
1) Zoning modifications can be tailored for specific neighborhoods, which will give our current home owners additional property rights. These rights will benefit the homeowner while increasing our housing stock. We can streamline the permitting process by 1) simplifying so homeowners can represent themselves before permit granting authorities, and 2) improve our civic customer service to support our employees who implement the regulations. Environmental concerns are part of the equation. Finally, minimum lot sizes and parking requirements need to be reformed to accommodate how our housing developments have evolved over time.
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 a leadership role in proposing how sites like Shaw's (currently zoned only for business) can take on a mixed business/residential character. The City can offer the usual array of tax incentives, and also be supportive with developers for favorable state and federal grants and loans designed specifically for increasing housing.
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?
The interests of the owner and the tenant can be balanced, but any new ordinance would have to have the support of those owners. Creative tools, such as tax credits or pricing to a tenant based on longevity and equity support like TIFs need to be part of the solution.
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?
Protecting vulnerable populations and increasing affordable housing go hand in hand. The voters of the Commonwealth chose to discard Rent Stabilization (Rent Control) 30 years ago, but times and circumstances change. I support any efforts to address the equities of this issue, but those equities need the support of the community.
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?
The structure and the effectiveness of the Affordable Housing Trust needs to reexamined and revised before we decide on how to fund those efforts. We can have a more effective structure that will actually create affordable units.
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 I stated in Answer #1, these diverse citizen groups were first identified in our Plan 2000, and the recommendations of that Plan are still valid. I would revisit those thoughtful and complete recommendations as they apply today. Housing, transportation and essential services are what will support those diverse groups.
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?
Housing availability - and the right of shelter - are the bedrock of any community. We have no shortage of ideas. We need the political will to join together as a community, eliminate bureaucracy, and identify where we have the locations that can serve these needs. We can be creative and proactive - the Camerons and YMCA projects are great examples. For the needs beyond the actual shelter, we are fortunate to have very effective social service groups that can help lead us.
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?
Housing is the foundation upon which all of these other areas are built. If we recognize that fact, the issues will fall into place.
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?
Energy efficiency and climate resilience are the new standards of how we should build. Even with all-electric systems, we still have infrastructure and supply issues that need to be assessed and balanced.