Green Acton Principles on Housing Policy:

Guidance in Educating and Advocating for Sustainable, Environmentally Just Municipal and State Policy

In the pursuit of a safe, healthful, and livable environment for all, and to address the climate emergency, Green Acton (GA) proposes the principles below for housing policy in the town of Acton.

Environmental resources, such as water and greenspace, are not infinite. Per its mission, GA advocates to “limit development unless it is necessary for community needs.” Such needs, which are currently largely unmet, include housing for those of very low income, for people who work in but cannot afford to live in Acton, for seniors, and for those with physical or mental disabilities. Municipal housing policy should prioritize meeting these needs. Acton should also prioritize reuse of existing buildings when feasible, and limit new building.

1. New or rehabilitated housing units should employ environmentally sustainable building design and resource use. Such approaches should include the following sustainable building features if at all possible, even if added expense is required: electrification of all buildings (no fossil fuel use, including “natural” gas; and heat pump technology for heating and cooling); solar capacity where appropriate; use of energy efficient and water conserving devices and appliances; and use of environmentally preferable (recycled and recyclable, nontoxic) building materials. (See Appendix A for further details about sustainable building practices.)
   
2. The Acton Housing Production Plan and other municipal documents or policies that influence housing development should prioritize meeting housing needs that are currently largely unmet, rather than merely replicating housing types that are already abundant in Acton. At present, these include housing for those of very low income, for people who work in but cannot afford to live in Acton, for seniors, and for those with physical or mental disabilities.
   
3. There should be environmental equity across Acton neighborhoods. As examples: (1) every neighborhood in Acton should have ready access to experiences of the natural world — trees, green or open space, community gardens, etc., and (2) no neighborhood should have the right to exclude a reasonable amount of low-income housing, senior housing, or housing for people with physical or mental disabilities.
   
4. The Town, through its staff, Board of Selectmen, and/or Town boards and committees, should require that any developer who claims that a more environmentally sustainable design, or a project that meets undersupplied community housing needs, is “economically infeasible,” should be required to support that claim with evidence. In addition, the public should be allowed to comment on such claim and evidence before a decision is made on the project.

Appendix A: Examples of sustainable building features

• Net Zero building design, which uses environmentally preferable building materials (low or no toxicity, low VOC, recycled/recyclable, etc.), and integrates resilience to climate change impacts, such as flooding and excessive heat
• project siting with access to planned or existing public transportation, and walkable and bikeable neighborhoods (so people don’t need to use autos/trucks for errands, shopping, services, and food)
• housing design that allows density, and preserves greenspace and trees, as well as access to garden and green spaces 
• inclusion of features that attend to issues of water quality and quantity, for example, low-flow fixtures and appliances, landscaping that requires minimal watering, rainwater harvesting, and means to retain all stormwater runoff within the property