If Wareham’s Zoning Board of Appeals gets its way, Settler’s Glen — a development of 20 condos on Red Brook Road in East Wareham — will ultimately hit the market as for-sale units rather than rental units. 

During a Dec. 8 meeting, the board voted 3-0 (with two members abstaining from the vote) to deny the developer’s request to change the units to units that would instead be available for rent. The 20 units were initially proposed and approved by the board as for-sale units. 

Under the original plans, five of the 20 condos would be income-restricted to those earning 80 percent or less of the area median income. The income-restricted units would be priced at $271,500 for a two-bedroom and $301,700 for the three-bedroom unit. Market rate units would likely sell for between $399,000 and $429,000. 

Under that plan, only the five affordable units would be added to the town’s affordable housing stock.

The zoning board’s decision to deny the request followed a swift public hearing, at which a number of neighbors expressed concerns about the possibility of the 20 units being rented instead of sold. 

At the start of the hearing, the applicant’s attorney Mark Bobrowski pointed out that if the units become rentals, all 20 units would count toward the town’s affordable housing stock, which would get the town closer to meeting the threshold that would allow the town to exert more control over 40B projects. 

Despite the fact that all 20 units would count toward the town’s affordable housing stock, however, only five rental units would actually adhere to affordability requirements. The rest would be market price. 

Bobrowski introduced Cheryl Nichols, the would-be property manager. She assured that her company would carefully handle tenant selection and would appoint a designated property manager who would “be a physical presence on the property” on a regular — albeit unpredictable — basis.

Nichols said there are “a lot more” small-scale rental complexes these days, which are “very successful” in her company’s experience. 

Bobrowski warned that if the units were to be sold, neighbors could find themselves looking at unkempt lawns or unsightly trash.

“You can’t make Jim go out and mow his lawn if he owns the lawn,” he said. “In this case, the rental management company would be mowing the lawn on a regular basis, the trash would be picked up.”

Bobrowski said he believed it would be “equally as good” of a deal to have rental properties, even if the town might like to have increased opportunities for homeownership. 

Members of the Zoning Board of Appeals disagreed — as did several nearby property owners. 

“I liked the idea that they were going to be owned,” said board member Veronica DeBonise. “I just think that (they’ll be) better taken care of.” She added that she thought having rentals rather than owned homes would change the value. “It is a pride of homeownership — and I think we’re going to lose that if these are rental units.”

Member Richard Semple echoed similar concerns, noting that the area is primarily individually-owned homes. 

“Feels like it’s kind of poking the neighbors in the eye and bringing their property value in a way,” he said.

One Buzzards Bay resident who spoke in opposition to the idea of rentals said that no matter how well tenants were vetted, there would still be some risk. 

“With the transitory position, you don’t know what you’re getting, but it’s highly unlikely they’re going to care about the property as well as an ownership type property,” she said. “I would please beg this board not to allow them to switch it from ownership to rental.” 

Lucille Dodson, a 22-year resident of the neighborhood, said people had made significant investments into their properties that could be at risk if the duplexes were allowed to become rentals. 

“They got their permits to have it be ownership, not rental,” Dodson said. “We’re worried about our neighborhood… People take pride in owning that home, and it takes a lot of money to invest to buy a property, so I disagree with you as far as any management (property) is going to be with renting.”

Former Select Board member Brenda Eckstrom called the applicant’s request to shift from ownership to rentals a “bait and switch.” 

Still, Board Chair Nazih Elkallassi said he believed a property manager might be the best way to ensure the condos are well maintained.

“I am a believer in good management companies,” he said. “Because they can’t afford not to run it properly.”

In the end, however, the board voted to deny the applicant’s request. The applicant can choose to appeal the board’s decision.