Town of Arlington, Fair Housing Action Plan (July 2021)

Citation: Town of Arlington, Fair Housing Action Plan (July 2021)
Jurisdiction: Arlington (municipal)
Source: Official source
Original Source: https://www.arlingtonma.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/57214/637641171662530000 ↗

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Characteristics
Bedrooms
Arlington’s affordable housing units tend to be one- to two-bedroom units. The Arlington Housing Authority’s
properties are largely dedicated to elderly and disabled housing, so many of the AHA units are one-bedroom
apartments. The Housing Corporation of Arlington’s units are largely a mix of one- and two-bedroom units (with
larger units available in scattered-site homes and in development currently underway). Larger affordable
housing units may also be available in for-profit projects with inclusionary units, such as at Arlington 360.
Accessibility
As Arlington’s population ages, more affordable housing units will need to be accessible to people with
disabilities, but the town only has a narrow set of accessible affordable housing options. Though nearly 600
Arlington Housing Authority units are in developments for the elderly and residents with disabilities, only a small
portion of these units are fully wheelchair accessible. The AHA’s family housing at Menotomy Manor was recently
upgraded to provide a handful of full-access units. Like the AHA units, only a small portion of Housing
Corporation of Arlington housing is fully accessible, though 25% of units in the HCA’s newest development will be
fully accessible. Several of HCA’s older developments are in rehabilitated historic structures. These buildings may
face more pervasive accessibility issues.
Assessment: Arlington’s affordable housing stock, with its small sizes and (in the case of AHA’s elderly housing)
occupancy restrictions, favors smaller households, particularly elderly individuals or couples. Conversely, the
existing stock of affordable housing does not suit the needs of family households with two or more children. The
disproportionate availability of elderly housing over family