In March 2025, the Medford Affordable Housing Trust (MAHT) took a major step forward by outlining its five-year action plan, setting the stage for expanded affordability and stronger housing protections in our city.
Our Revolution Medford (ORM), which played a key role in advocating for the trust’s creation, celebrates this milestone as proof that community-driven solutions can make a real impact.
A Tool for Long-Term Affordability
Created in 2024 through collaboration between the Mayor’s Office, the Office of Planning, Development and Sustainability, and the City Council—with consistent advocacy from grassroots groups like ORM—the trust gives Medford the ability to aggregate funding from multiple sources and direct it toward affordability.
As board member Roberta Cameron explained, the trust is designed to ensure housing “remains affordable to households below a specific level” through what she called “Capital A Affordable Housing”—protected units that stay permanently within reach of low- and moderate-income residents.
What’s in the Five-Year Plan?
The trust’s new plan sets out several strategies, including:
- Zoning amendments to allow more affordable housing development.
- Development of city-owned lots for community-focused housing projects.
- Partnerships with nonprofits and the Medford Housing Authority to strengthen capacity and expand rental assistance.
- Programs for low-income and voucher-holding tenants to promote housing stability.
- Community engagement initiatives to ensure residents—especially those historically left out of planning conversations—have a voice in shaping housing policy.
Board members, including Lisa Anne Davidson, Penelope Taylor, Kayla Lessin, Lisa Sun, and Kerri Weaver, emphasized the importance of a clear “business plan” to guide the trust’s work and create accountability over the next five years.
Why It’s Urgent
Medford’s housing challenges remain serious. Only 8.12% of the city’s housing stock currently qualifies as affordable—short of the state’s 10% benchmark. Meanwhile, demographic shifts between 2010 and 2020 brought an influx of over 4,000 young adults, more non-family households, and rising demand for shared rentals. Medford has also grown more diverse, with increases in immigrant and BIPOC residents—making affordability an issue of both economic stability and equity.
Funding for the trust will primarily come from the Community Preservation Act ($2M annually) and the Community Development Block Grant ($1.4M annually), along with contributions from the North Suburban Home Consortium ($2.3M shared regionally).
Community Voices at the Center
A highlight of the March 12th meeting was the emphasis on community engagement. Staff planner Adithi Moogoor outlined outreach efforts through senior centers, city councilors, local advocacy groups, and grassroots organizations—including ORM, Housing Medford, and Safe Medford. This commitment to engagement ensures that residents most affected by the housing crisis have a seat at the table.
What’s Next?
For ORM, this moment represents the continuation of years of advocacy to prioritize housing justice in Medford. By pushing for the trust’s creation and now supporting its long-term vision, we remain committed to ensuring the city invests in solutions that keep families secure, strengthen neighborhoods, and build a more diverse and inclusive Medford.
This five-year plan is more than policy—it’s a roadmap to equity, and a reminder of the power of community organizing to create lasting change.
Our Revolution Medford 
Thank you so much for highlighting the Affordable Housing Trust Action Plan. I am very proud of the Affordable Housing Trust’s accomplishments in its first year, and grateful for the actions of City Councilors who made this work possible. A link to the Affordable Housing Action Plan can be found here. (Note – the plan is currently in Draft. A final plan will be coming out next month.)
I just want to make an important clarification The federal funding from CDBG and HOME may contribute to Medford’s affordable housing needs, but those funds will not be coming through the Trust. So far the only continuing source of funding that is reasonably secure is CPA – which can contribute far less than what we need to facilitate affordable housing development or to help renters and homeowners who are struggling with housing costs. One of the most important goals is to expand and diversify the sources of revenue. The Five Year Action Plan provides a list of potential revenue sources to explore. I hope that City Council and housing advocates in Medford will continue to support the efforts to expand our resources to address our housing needs.
LikeLike