Wayland committee hears three disability housing models for Cochituate Road parcel

WAYLAND — December 17, 2025 — Wayland's 212 Cochituate Road Advisory Committee heard three disability-housing perspectives as it readies its Select Board recommendation. Chair Tom Fay led a Dec. 17 session featuring SAIL Home founder Marianne Henry, who detailed an eight-bedroom Scituate conversion financed with $1.75 million in CPA funds, a $125,000 O'Connor earmark and a $1.6 million angel-investor land buy, with families paying $2,000 monthly atop $800 rent. Branching Tree co-founder Sabrina Mano outlined a $330,000-per-year shared-living model near Northampton — nine adults with disabilities and nine live-in co-residents across three homes — seeded by three founding families putting in $100,000 each. Former Wayland resident Gary Cavallo, whose 31-year-old son is on the autism spectrum, told members "it has to be small." The committee unanimously approved Nov. 13 and Dec. 3 minutes and continued editing member Gene Milburn's draft report, with John Thomas urging a "user's guide" comparing models. Bill Whitton relayed that the Housing Authority wants the town to maximize affordable units on the site.