The zoning board has tentatively approved a 30-unit affordable housing development for seniors to go up behind the Central School building. The zoning board will meet on Feb. 12 to finalize the permit.
The Grantham Group has partnered with the Scituate Housing Authority to construct an all-rental, 100 percent affordable development for residents over 62.
The proposed development called Lawson Green would be made up of 30, one-bedroom units and 40 parking spaces behind the existing Central Park senior housing building. Under the current proposal, the housing authority will sell the land to the Grantham Group for $1.
“The location makes good use of existing infrastructure and the proximity to existing housing certainly makes a lot of sense for the town,” zoning board chair John Hallin said.
The two-story building would be wheelchair accessible and environmentally certified, and each unit would be 690 square feet with a walk-in shower. Preferences would be given to Scituate residents, and the housing authority would not be involved with property management.
The Scituate Housing Authority began looking for a developer to bring affordable senior housing to town years ago. It chose the Grantham Group from a list of three applicants after visiting existing sites and evaluating how the developer maintains its current properties, Stephen Coulter, chairman of the housing authority, said.
An affordable housing study conducted by the town shows a lack of affordable housing, especially rental units, in Scituate. The town's senior population is expected to go over 5,000 by 2030.
Next, the Grantham Group will take their permit to the department of Housing and Urban Development. The department has a restriction on the land and must approve the project before construction can begin.