Salem begins discussing senior housing concerns
Salem — With the over-65 population projected to grow by 82 percent by 2025, members of the Board of Selectmen and Planning and Zoning Commission have begun to discuss options for affordable housing to keep senior residents in town.
"This is something we have to start addressing for our community," First Selectman Kevin Lyden said at the board's meeting Tuesday.
He said senior residents have told him that they would buy senior housing in town if it were available.
According to statistics from Connecticut State Data Center, the town's senior population is 570 and by 2025 it's expected to grow by an additional 467 people.
Lyden said older residents are having a hard time taking care of their homes.
"I've got several people saying they have a house that has a staircase and they can't get up the stairs," he said. "They're going to put in a chair lift."
Lyden asked Town Planner Richard Serra to draft up a hypothetical housing cluster plan for a 10- to 15-acre space, as Salem does not have the public water or sewer to accommodate hundreds of units.
One possible plan involves a 12-acre plot of land owned by the town near the community pavilion on Route 82, which is about a half-mile from Salem Four Corners, that could house 14 to 16 units.
The board also discussed possible expansion plans if the current idea succeeds, and Selectman Ed Chmielewski said it is important to select a site where expansion could occur.
Lyden said the town would need to sell town-owned land to a developer to create the housing cluster, which would require a town meeting for approval.
He said while some residents may object to town land being sold, he said the potential sale of the property would benefit a growing segment of the community.
Interested developers would have to agree to a contract clause that would give Salem residents the first option to buy, Lyden said. The clause would be effective for the first 90 days that the units are put on the market. After that timeframe, the units would be open to out-of-town residents.
"We've identified a need with some of our senior citizens that can't stay in their homes," Chmielewski said. "We're filling that need."
He also suggested connecting senior housing to the trails system in town.
The Planning and Zoning Commission will discuss town regulations for age-restricted housing and other senior housing options at its March 15 meeting.
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