I am a graduate student completing my Master of Social Work [degree] at Bridgewater State University. This is in regard to the issues surrounding affordable housing accessibility in Plymouth among eligible recipients. The current eligibility requirements do not reflect the true local cost of living. Affordable housing is based on the area median income (AMI). In Plymouth, this number is disproportionately high due to Plymouth being combined with the Boston, Cambridge, and Quincy areas in 2023 for housing calculations, thereby causing the Plymouth AMI to rise significantly. The AMI has slightly lowered in more recent years but still remains higher than the state average. This created a skewed AMI for Plymouth, as Boston is a largely affluent city that is highly densely populated.
My family recently relocated to Plymouth after being fortunate enough to secure an affordable housing unit, as this was the only accessible option to us. Without affordable housing, my family would not have been able to move at all. While I am deeply grateful for this opportunity, it emphasized a larger issue: even houses that are labeled as “affordable” can still put significant financial strain on working families due to the disconnect between affordable housing requirements and realistic cost-of-living.
I propose expanding and adjusting the eligibility requirements so that affordable housing opportunities more accurately reflect the true cost of living for local Plymouth residents. This may include revising income thresholds to better match the regional economic conditions and allowing greater flexibility for households whose incomes fall just above current limits but are still experiencing financial strain. Aligning the affordable housing eligibility standards by considering real-world expenses would help to ensure that affordable housing reaches the individuals and families it is intended to support. As housing costs continue to rise, updating the affordability and eligibility to reflect the current cost-of-living and economic realities of Plymouth residents is essential to ensure that affordable housing units are accessible to those who it is meant to support.
– Michaela Shea