Zoning and current housing stock issues confront Quincy Housing Task Force

Co-chair Paul Havermale says housing at all economic levels must be addressed QUINCY–Which comes first when addressing the housing supply shortfall in the City of Quincy?

A special task force made up of developers, renters, social services professionals, and concerned citizens set out to come up with a list of priorities that will then be sent to the Quincy City Council for consideration.

Tuesday afternoon was the second meeting for the group. Co-chairs Karole Ehrmen and Paul Havermale spoke about a holistic approach.

“What is the biggest impact the housing task force can have and at what level?” Havermale said they hope to answer that question soon with a list of the top five priorities.

Havermale says this goes beyond the obvious of vacant houses and zoning issues.

“Before we put in a 400-unit development somewhere. We need to know where we’re going to put it. We need to know it’s going to work there and not be met with huge resistance from the community.”

Mayor Linda Moore proposed the Strategic Task Force on Housing shortly after her election.

Havermale said it’s important to help create an environment that generates more units and to have units that involve a public/private partnership for people who need services that aren’t provided in a market-rate home or apartment.

“So by freeing up units at those levels, we free up everywhere else, and then the market becomes an influence on how many units we have,” he said.

Havermale also said it’s incorrect to think only people with disabilities or substance abuse issues struggle to find affordable and appropriate housing. He cited a study that concluded people working at a minimum wage level would need 1.2 jobs to secure safe housing in Quincy.

“If you have children and are a single mom or dad, how are you going to work 1.2 jobs? How are you going to raise a family or take care of your children? None of these segments exists on an island. If we free up units at this level because we did something at that level, that frees up units at another level. That’s the theory we’re operating under.”

The Great River Economic Development Foundation identified various levels of need in a 2023 report. Just under 1,600 units by 2033, from single-family dwellings to senior housing.

Among those on the task force is Brennan Hills, a former mayoral candidate who is a co-founder of Quincy for Registration Inspection Licensing Enactment (Q-RILE). The group worked more than two years on a non-binding referendum supporting an ordinance proposal for a rental inspection program that passed with more than 60% of voter support in the April 1 general election.

“I think there’s a lot we do not know,” Hills told Muddy River News. “I think our priority should be finding out where are the vacant properties? Where are rental properties? And where are the owner-occupied properties? We can’t really complete this puzzle if we don’t know what the puzzle pieces look like.”

Fellow task force member Mark Philpot of the group Human Rights Commission Quincy acknowledges the huge swath of factors that have created the current housing shortage.

“We know there’s a homelessness issue in Quincy. We know there’s an issue with the current housing stock. But we’re also working on development for more market-rate and above. Because we know those are things that make the tax dollars come into the city coffers and make it possible to pay for things like infrastructure and things like that. That’s the gas that makes the machine go. So we need to make sure that those levels are being addressed as well.”

All agree that the good part is that there are key people that are very involved in wanting to find solutions.

“It’s not about pointing fingers,” added Philpot. “It’s about trying to draft opportunities to build and make our community better.”

Havermale said anybody can listen in on meetings. They are also looking for more developers to join the task force.

Zoning and current housing stock issues confront Quincy Housing Task Force

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