Wayland housing trust files Town Meeting article to transfer 212 Cochituate Road

WAYLAND — January 16, 2024 — Wayland housing trust files citizen's petition to acquire 212 Cochituate Road for shared living. Chair Michael Staiti and member Mary Antes told the trust Tuesday that after the town failed to advance its own article, the working group submitted a petitioner's article to transfer the parcel from general municipal use to the trust, with the intent of developing a group home and selling a second lot at market rate to cover back taxes. Engineering for the subdivision is running about $10,000 conceptual and $30,000 for full plans, likely split with an abutter. Members voted unanimously to authorize Staiti to place roughly half of the trust's $1.5 million in CDs and half in money market accounts, citing money market rates of 3.5 to 4 percent and CDs "generally north of 5." Habitat for Humanity has inquired on the 12 Hammond Road RFP, to which the trust has committed up to $400,000. Antes also flagged 15 to 20 abandoned houses identified through the Board of Health as potential acquisition targets.