In 2023, Our Revolution Medford (ORM) celebrated a landmark achievement for housing justice: the Medford City Council officially passed an ordinance creating an Affordable Housing Trust. This initiative, years in the making, gave our city vital new tools to fight displacement, stabilize neighborhoods, and ensure more residents could continue to call Medford home.

Why It Matters

Over the past years, Medford families and renters have faced mounting housing pressures. Rising rents, a shortage of affordable units, and the added strain of Tufts University’s lack of guaranteed upper-class student housing intensified competition and drove up prices. The pandemic only deepened the crisis.

The Affordable Housing Trust, passed in April 2023, finally gave Medford the ability to:

• Purchase small properties and secure land before they were lost to speculation.
• Preserve homes as permanently affordable, whether rented or sold.
• Signal to developers that Medford was serious about prioritizing equity in its housing future.

By establishing this trust, Medford joined over 100 other Massachusetts communities already taking proactive steps to protect affordability.

Funding and Fairness

Funding for the trust came largely from the Medford Community Preservation Act (CPA), which pools property tax revenue and state funds for affordable housing, historic preservation, and recreational projects. Other funding sources, including the possibility of a real estate transfer fee, were also considered to strengthen the trust over time.

While the ordinance did not mandate prevailing wages for all affordable housing projects, it emphasized a strong preference for developers who treat workers fairly and pay competitive wages—ensuring that the push for affordability would not come at the expense of labor equity.

Benefits for the Community

The creation of the Affordable Housing Trust in 2023 represented more than just a policy shift—it was a promise to Medford’s residents. It meant:

• Stability for long-time families being squeezed out by rising costs.
• Opportunities for students and young professionals who wanted to stay in Medford after graduation.
• A stronger, more diverse community, open to residents from a range of income levels and backgrounds.

As Councilor Kit Collins noted at the time, “The fact that we are only just passing an affordable housing trust in 2023 means that we’re behind the eight ball. … We are not in a good place, so thank God we didn’t do this any later.”

ORM’s Role and Vision

Our Revolution Medford had long championed housing justice as a key priority, working alongside other local advocates to push the city toward this long-overdue step. The passage of the Affordable Housing Trust in 2023 was a testament to the power of grassroots organizing and the persistence of community groups who refused to let housing insecurity go unaddressed.

Looking back, this victory continues to serve as a foundation for the work ahead. As trustees began their appointments and the city identified properties to bring into the trust, ORM remained committed to ensuring accountability, transparency, and community benefit every step of the way.

A Lasting Achievement

The 2023 creation of Medford’s Affordable Housing Trust was a massive accomplishment for the city and for Our Revolution Medford. It signaled that Medford was ready to confront the housing crisis head-on, protect residents from displacement, and build a more inclusive, equitable community for the future.