DALTON, Mass. — The Planning Board approved an amended letter of support for the town's Community Development Block Grant application. 

 

The town submitted the application with Becket to develop a joint housing rehabilitation program in Dalton. 

 

"A housing rehabilitation program of this scope would be too difficult for either of the towns to pursue individually," the letter said. 

 

The federal Community Development Block grant aim to help eligible towns and cities meet a range of community development needs, including housing rehabilitation. 

 

The Community Development Fund "encourages applicants to develop coordinated, integrated and creative solutions to local problems," the state website said. 

 

Housing rehabilitation programs are an important component for many CDBG grantees. 

 

It helps cities and towns achieve "safe, decent, and sanitary housing conditions for low- and moderate-income people;" improves "the quality of life in lower-income neighborhoods;" and works to eliminate "slum and blighting conditions," the state website said. 

 

Dalton has been working to provide and expand housing options for its residents by exploring amending zoning bylaws, and other housing options such as Accessory Dwelling Units or tiny homes. 

 

Dalton's master plan prioritizes identifying housing. One of its action steps is to review zoning bylaws to confirm that the bylaws enable the development of various housing options, including middle-income housing, first-time homeowner housing, family housing, and senior housing.

 

During the meeting board members agreed to cut the reference to tiny homes from the letter of support to the Executive Office Of Housing And Livable Communities due to how early on they are in the exploration process. 

 

Board member Donald Davis, Jr. made the motion to strike the reference to tiny homes from the letter because of how many unknowns there currently are surrounding the endeavor. 

 

The board agreed to remove the reference; however, they did not see an issue with the topic since the town is "looking into" it and including it in the letter does not commit them to anything.

 

The program "will allow us to address deferred maintenance, code violations, and a lack of safety in current housing stock to prevent economic disinvestment and to increase the safety and appeal of properties in two historic Berkshire communities," the letter says. 

 

The letter of support demonstrated that the need for collaboration between the two towns to "preserve existing housing" is critical. 

 

"Berkshire County's population is the second-oldest in the Commonwealth after Cape Cod, with adults over age 50 expected to represent 50 percent of all residents, within the next 10 years," the letter says. 

 

"In addition, older housing stock and rising costs of living are negatively impacting a greater number of homeowners, many of whom are living on tight, or fixed-incomes and cannot easily afford regular maintenance or repairs."

 

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 44.4 percent of Dalton residents and 35.3 percent of Becket residents are considered low to moderate income, the letter said. 

 

In addition, 31.1 percent of Dalton homes and 17.7 percent of Becket homes were built before 1949 or earlier. 

 

The letter also demonstrated the two town’s past success with housing rehabilitation programs but urged that the need is still prevalent. 

 

According to the letter, Becket assisted 17 households using a fiscal year 2017 and in 2020 Dalton aided 17 households in both Becket and Dalton using funds from a regional grant. 

 

"And yet, the need and demand for the housing rehabilitation program remains strong, with 46 Becket households on the waiting list, and 69 households in Dalton waiting for access to the program," the letter said.