The city is collaborating with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to create a Fair Housing Plan, and is looking for input from residents to help shape the plan’s priorities.
A survey to garner that input is available through Sept. 11 on the city’s website at chelseama.gov.
The survey is available in English and Spanish, and hard copies are also available at City Hall in the Office of Housing and Community Development, Room 101.
The Fair Housing Plan is being undertaken with input and assistance from a number of leading housing, development, equity, and nonprofit organizations in the city and region, including La Colaborativa, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board (AHTFB), City of Chelsea Law and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Departments, Chelsea Black Community, GreenRoots, the Housing Authority, resident representatives, The Neighborhood Developers, and Winn Development.
“The department, in partnership with many community-based organizations, is seeking to aggressively address and eliminate housing discrimination and racial inequities in the housing market,” said Director of Housing and Community Development Alex Train. “The first step of doing that from our point of view is to undertake this comprehensive fair housing plan that looks at discriminating practices for renters, home buyers, and homeowners. We’ve done an extensive engagement and outreach process in partnership with organizations like La Colaborativa and the Chelsea Housing Authority over the last six months.”
Train said the city has also gotten feedback from residents about their personal experiences facing discrimination when trying to rent apartments or buy homes. Through the survey, he said the city is looking to collect input on the recommendations on proposed policy changes, projects, programs, and advocacy efforts that could make the housing market more fair and equitable in Chelsea.
“Right now, we are going to be overseeing the survey through the month of September with the goal of having the draft plan available in October,” said Train. “We will hold a series of community meetings to exhibit the draft plan. Our goal is to finalize that plan, publishing a final version by the end of November.”
At that point, Train said the city will begin to implement some of the recommendations in the housing equity plan.
“We are expecting that in early 2024, we are going to start bringing some of the first policy recommendations to the City Council and begin to implement some of the first programs in the plan,” said Train.
Examples of some of those potential policy recommendations and programs include an ordinance requiring all housing applications be made available in multiple languages and putting in place new support systems to allow residents to better access housing.
For additional details, individuals may Train at [email protected], or visit City Hall, Room 101.