This fall, Medford takes a significant step forward in tackling one of the city’s most pressing challenges: affordable housing.

Established in 2024 with a push from ORM, the Trust is tasked with creating a roadmap to ensure Medford becomes a more inclusive, affordable, and livable community for residents of all incomes.

In September 2025, the Medford Affordable Housing Trust (MAHT) will present its first Action Plan to the City Council, offering a roadmap to make our city more inclusive, sustainable, and affordable for residents of all backgrounds.

Why this matters

The need for affordable housing in Medford has never been greater.

Nearly 25% of Medford households earn below 50% of Area Median Income, and two-thirds of those families are considered cost-burdened — spending more than half their income just to keep a roof overhead.

Seniors are particularly affected: one-third of homeowners are over 65, with a median household income of just $44,000.

Rising rents, soaring home prices, and displacement pressures mean that without bold action, more long-time residents will be forced out of Medford.

What’s in the Action Plan

The MAHT Action Plan sets ambitious but necessary goals:

• Expanding Affordable Housing Stock: Adding 120 affordable homes to the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) annually, with a target of 600 new SHI units by 2025.
• Preserving Affordability: Ensuring that existing affordable homes remain within reach of working families and seniors.
• Diversity of Housing Options: Promoting a mix of housing types that reflect Medford’s intergenerational, multicultural community.
• Neighborhood Compatibility: Ensuring new homes are sustainable, well-designed, and fit the character of Medford’s neighborhoods.
• Transparency & Engagement: Expanding public involvement and awareness of fair housing issues to ensure that decisions reflect community needs.

This vision ties directly to the 2023 Comprehensive Plan, which recommended zoning updates to allow for more diverse housing, mixed-use development, and better infill opportunities on underutilized lots.

How it will be funded

Of course, big goals require big commitments. The Action Plan identifies several potential funding sources:

• Community Preservation Act funds
• Negotiated contributions from developers (linkage fees)
• Payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) from nonprofit institutions
• Real estate transfer fees
• Proceeds from city property sales
• Voluntary donations and Affordable Housing Trust Funds

While Medford already has a linkage program (dating back to 1990), funds have not been directed toward affordable housing and have lost value as costs rise. Councilors and Trust members are calling for state legislation to strengthen the program, ensure annual updates, and expand its scope to support housing directly.

Why this is a breakthrough

The establishment of the Affordable Housing Trust in 2024, and now this first Action Plan, represents a turning point for Medford. For the first time, the city has a coordinated strategy — with goals, funding ideas, and community engagement built in — to address the affordability crisis head-on.

As MAHT member Penelope Taylor put it, “There’s a lot of interest in building affordable housing in Medford, but not a lot of money to.” This plan begins to close that gap, pairing vision with concrete strategies to ensure Medford remains a welcoming home for working families, young renters, and seniors alike.

Our Revolution Medford’s perspective

Our Revolution Medford strongly supports the Affordable Housing Trust and its Action Plan. Housing is a human right, and we believe that no one in Medford should be priced out of the community they call home. This plan isn’t just about numbers — it’s about people: the seniors who built this community, the young adults looking for a first apartment, the working families trying to stay close to schools and jobs, and the diverse neighbors who make Medford strong.

By embracing bold goals and advocating for innovative funding mechanisms, Medford is showing that progressive leadership can deliver practical solutions. We look forward to supporting the passage and implementation of this plan — and to ensuring that housing justice remains at the top of the city’s agenda.

This Action Plan is more than a policy document. It’s a promise: that Medford’s future will be fairer, stronger, and more affordable for all.