TTHHEE PPIIOONNEEEERR VVAALLLLEEYY RREEGGIIOONNAALL HHOOUUSSIINNGG PPLLAANN A Plan for Decent, Safe, Affordable and Desirable Homes Produced by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission with guidance by the Pioneer Valley Regional Housing Plan Advisory Committee and the support of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Sustainable Communities Initiative Regional Planning Grant Program. Draft for Public Review – Dec. 1, 2012 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under an award with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. The authors and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government. PIONEER VALLEY REGIONAL HOUSING PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Whitney (Holovach) Abel, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Massachusetts Fair Housing Center Douglas Albertson, Town Planner, Belchertown Stuart Beckley, Town Manager, Ware Meris Bergquist, Executive Director, Massachusetts Fair Housing Center Brad Campbell, Executive Director, Home Builders & Remodelers Assoc. of Western MA Marilyn Contreas, Senior Program and Policy Analyst, Mass DHCD Michele Crochetiere, (former) Director of Supportive Housing, YWCA Western Mass Carl Dietz, Director of Community Development, Chicopee Christopher Dunphy, Principal Planner/Manager of Community Development, PVPC John Fisher, Fair Housing Programs, HAPHousing Constance Kruger, Board Member, Amherst Housing Authority Paul Lischetti, Housing Director, Hilltown Community Development Corporation Matthew Mainville, Assistant Executive Director, Holyoke Housing Authority William Malloy, Legal Counsel, Concerned Citizens for Springfield James Mazik, Deputy Director & Manager of Community Development, PVPC Geraldine McCafferty, Housing Director, Springfield Karen Mendrala, Senior Planner, Holyoke David Modzelewski, Homeless Housing Coordinator, Mental Health Association, Inc. Sarah Page, Associate Executive Director, HAPHousing William Reyelt, Principal Planner, Smart Growth Programs, Mass DHCD Amaad Rivera, Director of Housing Policy, Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination Charles Rucks, Executive Director, Springfield Neighborhood Housing Services Inc. Lynne Wallace, Chair, Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness and Vice‐President of Dietz & Company PIONEER VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF Catherine Ratté, Principal Planner Jayne Bernhard‐Armington, Senior Planner Josiah Neiderbach, Land Use and Environmental Planner CONSULTANTS Constance Kruger A project of the Sustainable Knowledge Corridor regional planning initiative www.sustainableknowledgecorridor.org © 2012 Pioneer Valley Planning Commission 60 Congress Street, Springfield, Massachusetts www.pvpc.org TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................................. 1 HOME: A PATHWAY TO OPPORTUNITY ................................................................................................................ 2 PIONEER VALLEY REGIONAL HOUSING PLAN ........................................................................................................ 3 Purpose & Plan Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 3 Regional Housing Issues .............................................................................................................................4 Outline of the Regional Housing Plan ......................................................................................................... 6 Regional Housing Plan Process .................................................................................................................. 6 Framework for Analyzing the Region .......................................................................................................... 7 Important Terminology ............................................................................................................................. 9 CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER OVERVIEW ....................................................................................................................................... 13 POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS & TRENDS ........................................................................................................ 15 Population and Household Trends ............................................................................................................ 15 Household Types...................................................................................................................................... 19 Population by Age .................................................................................................................................... 22 Population by Race & Ethnicity ................................................................................................................. 24 Population by Disability Status ................................................................................................................. 29 Special Needs Populations ....................................................................................................................... 31 Income Characteristics ............................................................................................................................. 37 Economic & Employment Characteristics .................................................................................................. 43 CHAPTER SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................................44 CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................................ 45 CHAPTER OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................................... 46 HOUSING BY TYPE & CHARACTERISTIC ............................................................................................................... 47 Total Housing Units ................................................................................................................................. 47 Occupied & Vacant Housing ..................................................................................................................... 48 Foreclosed Homes and Bank‐Owned Homes ............................................................................................. 53 Homeowner & Rental Housing .................................................................................................................. 54 Age of Housing ........................................................................................................................................ 60 Housing by Structural Type ...................................................................................................................... 63 Number of Bedrooms ............................................................................................................................... 66 Elderly Housing ........................................................................................................................................ 68 Student Housing ...................................................................................................................................... 70 Cost of Housing ........................................................................................................................................ 73 Income Restricted Housing ....................................................................................................................... 83 Accessible Housing ................................................................................................................................... 93 Special Needs Housing ............................................................................................................................. 95 CHAPTER SUMMARY..................................................................................................................................... 106 CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................................ 108 CHAPTER OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................... 109 MUNICIPAL ZONING ...................................................................................................................................... 110 Minimum Lot Size Requirements ............................................................................................................. 113 MultiFamily Housing ............................................................................................................................... 117 Two‐Family Housing ............................................................................................................................... 118 Accessory Dwelling Unit Bylaws ..............................................................................................................119