Framingham Mayoral Candidates Discuss Apartments, Moratorium, In-Law Units, & Affordable Housing

FRAMINGHAM – The average price for a single family home in the City of Framingham is more than $525,000.

The most affordable single family home on the market last month was more than $300,000.

According to the last MetroWest Economic Research Center (MERC) at Framingham State University report the City of Marlborough, the Town of Ashland, and the Town of Hudson are now more affordable than the City of Framingham.

In the last 5 years, more than 1,500 new apartments have been built in the City of Framingham.

But the City of Framingham is ranked as the 11th most expensive City to rent in the Commonwealth, according to Zumper.com.

The price of one bedroom unit in Framingham is about $1,830.

And the rent of a two bedroom units grew 4.2% to $2,250, from the previous month.

The City currently has an apartment moratorium in place, thanks to a 10-1 vote of the City Council. Mayor Yvonne Spicer opposed the apartment moratorium.

District 4 Councilor Michael Cannon has requested the City re-consider in-law apartment units for multi-generational living and for families with adult children with disabilities.

There are bidding wars for single family homes at the same time other families are struggling to stay in their homes, with eviction looming, in part for some due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and its lingering effects.

With housing such a hot issue, SOURCE emailed all three mayoral candidates – Mayor Spicer, Charlie Sisitsky, and Carlos Valadares and asked each the same series of questions.

“The City of Framingham is coming out of an apartment moratorium soon. Single-Family homes are selling above asking price. Affordable housing and workforce housing are hard to come by in Framingham. Even with so many residents unhappy with all the apartment, many of the new complex are more than 75% rented, but the rents are not affordable. The Framingham Housing Authority has a wait list. What is your plan for housing for the City of Framingham? Be specific. What zoning changes would you request? What developments would you support? Did you support the moratorium? Why or Why not? What type of housing is missing in Framingham? What can you do to keep Framingham affordable for the low and middle class? At the end of your term in December 2023, what will housing in Framingham look like?“

Two of the three candidates responded by the Saturday night deadline. One candidate did not respond.

Read what Charlie Sisitsky has to say on housing, apartments, etc here.

Read what Yvonne Spicer has to say on housing, apartments, etc here.