The Newton Tab reports that non-profit 2 Life has announced plans to build a 177 unit senior housing complex for seniors on the JCC campus called Opus Newton.
The project targets seniors 62 or older who make 80% of the Newton median income.
One interesting wrinkle is that residents “will take an active role in their community by pledging to volunteer approximately 10 hours a month of their time,” according to 2Life. “These contributions can include teaching a course, offering professional expertise or lending one’s time to a number of community projects, creating an environment of collective contribution and purpose.”
- Opus Newton will be connected to 2Life’s Coleman House on the campus of the Greater Boston JCC
- There will be 174 residences, with more than eight different one- and two-bedroom plans ranging in size from 650 to 1,350 square feet
- There will be two stories of underground parking – some for Opus residents, some for the JCC
- Flexible community spaces will be available
- Residents will volunteer about 10 hours a month of their time
- Opus will have on-site care advocates and partnerships with providers to help keep care more affordable, according to 2Life.
An exciting proposal that looks like it would add housing to the city without adding kids to the schools. As always, the devil is in the details. But my initial reaction is a positive one. Curious what others think?
Love it. More tax revenue without having to proportionally increase the school budget. Sounds like a win for everyone: Parents and non-parents of NPS kids alike!
Just an FYI, Housing Choice does not allow restrictions based on age so, as I read it, senior housing can’t count towards the quota. We still need to build it, and it is still helpful housing stock for those Seniors who want to remain in Newton. This was one of the few black and white answers from the ZAP Meeting on 1/24
We do not need to build affordable housing. We dont need the state money and people dont have to live in Newton.
Perhaps I am old fashioned, but if you can’t afford to live somewhere, you normally just live somewhere else. When did we start trying to demand developers and property owners to build less that fair market value units? This is crazy.
Old fashioned, no, embarrassing in your lack of concern for other people, yes
MaryLee: Just a clarification to your FYI. It’s my understanding from reading the materials available on MBTA Communities that the new law is about “zoning capacity,” i.e., what zoning allows, not about “counting” units (whether built, permitted, or proposed ) toward a quota. And this is true for all housing, not just senior housing. Page 2 of the Planning Department’s memo from the last ZAP meeting addresses this issue directly: https://www.newtonma.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/80033/637783750170570000
Looks like a good idea. Great news that they will be utilizing the existing parking lot(s). I sure hope they will avoid destroying the mature woods that cover much of the property.
Remember my twelve letters to the Newton Tab since 2010 advocating non income eligible housing for seniors who are beyond affordable and choose not market rate housing. Thank you 2Life Communities for addressing this need.
… and also the Boston Globe just wrote about this proposed 209 unit senior development at Craft St in Newtonville
I like the Craft St proposal too. Although I suspect it will be more controversial than Opus. On first read, Craft St seems a little light on affordable units.
I mean, even an “affordable” unit in Newton is not really affordable in society. And if it is, it’s a studio, not a 3 bedroom.
Its kind of all a joke to be honest. Again, Newton is not a starter community and probably wont be every again. If you want affordable housing, dont live here. Why is this a crazy concept? Dedham and many other nearby communities are far more affordable. Why cant people just live there if there is enough demand for Newton from those who can afford it?
People dont have a right to live somewhere and not everyone gets to live in the same town. This discussion toes a fine line to be honest.
Frank D – Opus Newton is a private project intended to expand the range of housing options for seniors in Newton. Yes, Newton housing is indeed extremely expensive. Why would you be criticizing a project like this though? I don’t get it.
Lifting the flavor of your comment “why can’t people who aren’t interested in this kind of housing just live somewhere else?”
I’m not! Im criticizing the desire for people to push for affordable housing at any and all cost!!
My first comment is that this is fantastic. But, someone said that it doesnt satisfy the state requirement to which I said, we shouldnt satisfy it. This is a great build. Forcing something unnatural to satisfy a silly mandate is just that, silly
On the surface both seem like very good projects…for the reasons some has stated above… but more importantly NOT more apartments that only those making over six figures can afford. Thumbs up! A couple of projects we can feel good to stand behind!
Unless their plans have changed, Opus may be affordable month-to-month, but does require a considerable buy-in. The assumption being that seniors will sell their house and use the proceeds to buy into Opus. I believe there may be some exceptions. Then the monthly fee will be affordable. The buy-in will then be used to help pay for assistance as folks age in place.
There’s big gap in senior housing choices (not just in Newton, but in general) for people who don’t qualify for affordable housing but can’t afford the expensive places. I’m in my 60s and I think it’s important for seniors to be able to stay in their communities as they age. After living here for decades, I’ve built up support systems, my (complex) medical care is all here with doctors who know me and my needs, and my synagogue is nearby. I don’t want to uproot myself once I can no longer manage stairs, and not all of us have houses that will sell for more than a 1-2 bedroom condo near here costs.
My mom (low income, living off social security and is single) is getting older, and moving her closer to me would be very nice. She applied for 2Life last year. She meets the income levels. The leasing office told her that either of the buildings in Newton are 3-5 year waits. She can’t afford market rate here in Newton/Waltham/Needham, nor are we able to supplement an apartment for her. She lives an hour away. I am the only child that lives within 4 hours of her. It would be so nice for her to move to either of the 2Life buildings. I hope she is able to in 2-4 years when she gets off the wait list. Until then I hope she continues to be as independent as possible. The pandemic has shown me either you need to be able to afford help in the home, or you depend on a grown child, and in this case the female grown child, who also has a child under 18 in the house. The pandemic has put tremendous family pressure on working women. While working men are often picking some of the slack, the vast majority falls on working women.
There are several 62+ affordable (i.e. 30-50-70% AMI) complexes in the Metro West area, most likely with shorter wait-list times – Ledges Ashland and Coolidge Sudbury are two new ones, managed by Peabody Properties – also, NHCD just opened up the wait-list for Weeks House.
That should say, NCDF for Weeks.
@FrankD we push for affordable housing in our lovely city for a variety of reasons that benefit all of us- but in the interest of shorthand- the bigger the divide between the “have” and the “have nots” the more pain and suffering for everyone. If the only thing that motivates you is your own wealth and your own self interest-(I’m not saying this is the case, just making a point) it is actually in your own self-interest to ensure the economic divide does not continue to grow in our community. (stats tell us less economic divide, less crime, less violence) I have a more complex view on the benefits of affordable housing in our community- but regardless of your motivation- equality is good for everyone.
Councilor Noel,
As a champion of equality, your website has no mentioned of pushing to build thousands of affordable high density housing in your OWN ward.
Could you please update your website?..
My wealth and self interest are important to me. They should be important to everyone. I want to provide for my family, their future, etc. Don’t you?
I do however support affordable housing, but not when it is a sham. If I renovate you consider making me convert to electric but if a developer builds hundreds of units they can have gas? Who uses more fossil fuels, my single family house or a building with hundreds of units.
Perhaps start with the big developers and consider the little guy like me later.
Again, I support affordable housing, but creating studio apartments in a high rise or an Avalon to fit a requirement and check a box doesn’t help families. Its a nice goal but its a sham.
Opus is project we can stand behind. Same with The Armory – partnering with a non-profit developer and 100% affordable.
Yet developers like Northland gets away with less than 20% affordable, fossil fueled heating (while the City considers mandating electric only for someone remodeling 50% or more of their existing home)and after all the grandstanding about reducing parking because bussing will be provided, their special permit ultimate got approved to average 2 spots per unit.
All of these concessions create a LARGER, not smaller, gap. A larger equity gap. A larger climate gap. Not all “affordable housing” is the same.
That’s how I interpreted FrankD’s comments….and agree! By definition, anything under 50% lowers an average and expands any existing gaps. It’s just math. Not a statement on Frank’s motivations.
@Bugek- the Housing Choice bill will have a substantial impact on my Ward, Ward 6, we have two major t-stops in Ward 6, Newton Centre and Newton Highlands. I have a newsletter dropping this week that lays out my thoughts on the Housing Choice Bill-I’ll put the lead here- I am ALL IN on the Housing Choice Bill. Off to work folks- to subscribe to my newsletter email me at [email protected]
Brenda, The new housing bill says nada about affordability. It simply that the areas are zoned for multi-family and does not restrict them from all being 2M townhomes.
There is a difference between pushing for thousands of affordable units vs just allowing more 2M townhomes. It would great if you clarified your stance in writing
Can we get a post to celebrate the end of the school mask mandates on 2/28? What a great day for our kids.
Amen! Although I think the School Committee needs to vote on it (right?) so let’s make sure they do! It’s about time!
Your wish has been granted …. https://village14.com/2022/02/09/masks-in-schools/
How are masks necessary until February 28, but not from that point and beyond? If masks are unnecessary on February 28, then they are unnecessary Now.
https://brownstone.org/articles/more-than-150-comparative-studies-and-articles-on-mask-ineffectiveness-and-harms/