Flooding in unexpected areas has prompted investments in stormwater management. Crosswalks with flashing beacons improve pedestrian safety on the scenic route from Mount Tom. The $10 million Army Corps of Engineers authorization provides planning resources for comprehensive flood mitigation, though implementation requires careful environmental assessment. TACKLING THE HOUSING CRISIS Easthampton has four major developments totaling over 300 units, each addressing different market segments while advancing sustainability goals.“We have four big housing projects that are in different stages of being built.The total number of units when they’re all done is just a scooch past 300,” Mayor LaChapelle states.“We could have at any given month less than 10 houses that are available to buy. On the rental side, our rents are going up considerably. We have some property owners who are from other states and are increasing rents sometimes as much as 35%, 50%. Facing these conditions, we do everything we can to get units on the market ASAP.” The most innovative project combines affordable housing with conservation. An anonymous donor contributed $500,000 to identify locations for carbon neutral housing development adjacent to conserved land in Easthampton. Twenty-one acres will host housing while 32 acres remain preserved, creating a national model for sustainable development. “It’s one of a handful of these projects happening countrywide,” Mayor LaChapelle explains. “Another one is our three elementary schools that we decommissioned about three years ago. All are over a hundred years old, and that will be 69 units of housing. Those buildings bookend the downtown district.” The 96-unit affordable redevelopment secured $4.4 million from the state’s Housing Works program, the largest grant in that funding cycle. Using prefabricated components, construction will take just 13 months after site preparation. A fourth development in the opportunity zone combines housing with essential services: daycare, a children’s gymnasium, restaurants, and banking. Photo Credit: Pat Brough 132 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07
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