Property Redevelopment Project

THE REDEVELOPMENT OF SHERMAN GARDENS

Aging in Place in a Multigenerational Neighborhood

Built in 1971, Sherman Gardens is an 80-unit state-funded senior housing development that is owned and operated by the Belmont Housing Authority (“BHA”). With six two-story, walk-up residential buildings, the 1.85-acre site is among the Waverley neighborhood in Belmont, MA and is surrounded by privately owned general residences. With Waverley Square located within walking distance, there are many amenities and public transportation available residents. BHA proposes the Redevelopment of Sherman Gardens to address the sites’ capital needs as well as to meet the critical need for affordable housing in the Town of Belmont.

The Need for Upgrades

Sherman Gardens is functionally obsolete for the elderly and disabled populations that it serves. Nearly all amenities, materials, and building systems are original to the 1971 construction and are at the end of their useful life. All units have at least one step up to their entrance and 50% of units can only be accessed via steep and narrow stairways. Small door frames prevent the use of walkers and wheelchairs. Additionally, unit layouts are significantly undersized relative to current standards and are in poor condition. These features make it difficult for seniors to age in place as their mobility decreases.

Redevelopment Plan

BHA envisions demolishing five of the six existing, outdated buildings and replacing them with a newly constructed, 125-unit mid-rise building with elevators. The redevelopment will remain respectful of and responsive to the existing character of the immediate neighborhood and larger Belmont community. The tallest part of the mid-rise building is proposed for where the ground elevation is lowerst and residential abutters are farthest away. When approaching its neighbors, the mid-rise building’s height will drop down to match abutting homes. This new building will share visual characteristics with surrounding residences, including bay windows, a gabled roof, and façade materials.

BHA has identified the following redevelopment goals for Sherman Gardens:

• Provide 80 elderly and disabled units of high-quality replacement housing in a new, accessible mid-rise building.
• Create new, additional affordable housing units on site for seniors and families.
• Optimize the site to include attractive and flexible community spaces, residential amenities, and outdoor spaces.
• Streamline resident traffic to and from the new mid-rise building, while providing adequate parking for residents.
• Ensure that Sherman Gardens has a sustainable rental subsidy source to create long-term operational stability

As highlighted by the Town of Belmont’s 2023 Housing Production Plan (“HPP”), it is critical that Belmont not only maintain its supply of affordable housing, but also grow the number of affordable housing units available. Since the adoption of the HPP in 2018, Belmont increased its subsidized housing inventory from 3.61% to 6.21%. However, there remains a significant gap between the 2,630 affordable income-eligible households and the 673 available affordable housing units—a ratio of one unit to about four eligible households. Of this supply of affordable housing, only 154 units qualify as senior housing. The lack of affordable housing combined with the lack of senior housing creates a competitive environment in which seniors and families are fighting for limited space. An increase in density at Sherman Gardens will result in a net increase of 55 deeply affordable units, contributing to the HPP’s development target of 293 affordable housing units in the next five years to meet 10% of the Town’s year-round housing stock, as encouraged by the Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40B.

Key Next Steps