After voters denied an $830,000 Community Preservation funds grant for the affordable housing development at Littleton Drive, the Wareham Redevelopment Authority is considering alternate ways to obtain funding.

The town-provided funding won’t impact the developer’s bottom line, but board member Richard Swenson said it would go toward “optional amenities” like a community center, gardens and walking trails that would be open to everyone in town. Without the funding, those amenities are at risk, Swenson and Town Planner Ken Buckland said.

“People say, ‘We don’t want Little Drive to be another Wareham Woods,’ and you know what, that $830,000 was part of the solution to make sure that didn’t happen,” Swenson said. 

The developer Pennrose is a for-profit company, and voters at Town Meeting voiced concerns that approving the funds for a for-profit developer would eat through the town’s Community Preservation funds. 

Per state law, the town is required to set aside 10 percent of Community Preservation Funds for affordable housing, plus 10 percent each for historic preservation, open space, and recreation.

Grant funding is an option, but voters might find the issue up for vote at Town Meeting again in the future. 

Board member Judith Whiteside proposed the group engage in more outreach and “go back in the fall” and ask voters to consider approving the funds again. 

“We didn’t sell it,” she said, noting that towns across the state have pitched in funding for similar projects. “So let’s go back and sell it.”

Swenson agreed, but board member Peter Teitelbaum was hesitant to put the issue before Town Meeting voters again in the fall. He said it could come across as disregarding the will of Spring Town Meeting voters.

Buckland said there would be some time to wait — the funds only need to align with Pennrose’s financing of the project, which might not be secured until December.

In the meantime, Buckland asked to be authorized to seek grant funding for the project. 

The board unanimously authorized Buckland to apply for any grants that would provide funding for the Littleton Drive project.