Poll: Expanding Tilden Village

Affordable housing continues to be a hot button topic around Medfield in light of the proposed 96-unit apartment complex on West Street and the realization that the town has very little defense against developers wanting to build anywhere in town.

Many residents have taken their concerns regarding Chapter 40B to public forums, searching for answers and speaking at length at Board of Selectmen meetings.

Medfield Board of Selectmen chair Osler "Pete" Peterson has gotten involved in the conversation through his personal blog, "Medfield 02052," offering his view on the town's situation regarding Chapter 40B and suggestions to address the need for affordable housing in Medfield.

Among those suggestions is expanding Tilden Village to the vacant land next to it on Pound Street, which is currently controlled by the Medfield Housing Authority. Peterson writes blogs the following:

"It seems to me that it would be easy to get town agreement on building a Tilden Village extension on the land next to Tilden Village, so we should start to explore that possibility right away. The current Medfield Housing Authority board chair and executive director have both expressed a willingness to talk about doing so, and I will reach out to begin discussions with them on how that could be done."

Peterson said he suggested the town should sponsor building more elderly housing on that location for several reasons:

• Medfield can certainly use more elderly housing.
• The municipal budget impacts would be minimal.
• Because the facilities at Tilden Village already exist, there would be savings for new construction from not having to construct what already exists there – i.e. no need for an additional administrative office and community meeting room.

Jack Hurd, executive director of the Medfield Housing Authority, sent Peterson the following message on Medfield Patch in response to the selectman's idea regarding the vacant land next to Tilden Village.

"The Medfield Housing Authority is certainly interested in expanding affordable housing at our Tilden Village Complex if funding were to become available," Hurd said. "We would welcome the opportunity to engage in discussions with town officials and others about expanding on our site or in partnership in other areas of town."

So Medfield, we want to know ..

Today's question: Do you think the town should expand Tilden Village on the vacant land next to it on Pound Street to accommodate more affordable housing?