To the Editor:

To those who supported the Westfield project through all its twists and turns, congratulations. I hope with all my heart that it turns out to be exactly what you expect. We need a solid solution to the senior-housing concerns that we face and will continue to face in the coming years.

I opposed the Westfield article. I do not oppose affordable senior housing. But there are several promises and unresolved issues surrounding Westfield. What impact will Westfield have on affordable senior housing? How many Wareham seniors will occupy units at Westfield?

One Town Meeting speaker touted Marion’s brand new affordable senior complex, Little Neck Village, which boasts 48 units of “affordable” senior housing. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?

But according to the management company, Peabody Properties, Inc., only 12 of the 48 units are priced at $450 per month, and there is already a growing waiting list for those one-bedroom units. They filled up fast.

The remaining 36 units are priced at “market rate:” one-bedroom units are $898 per month and two-bedroom units are $1,078 per month. Filling those units is not going as quickly.

Rick Boucher, Chairman of the Council on Aging Board of Directors, stated at Town Meeting that the Westfield project will have 50 units priced under $500 per month.  How many “market rate” units will be needed to subsidize those 50 units? What will their price be? Will those seeking senior affordable housing be able to afford them?

Mr. Boucher also stated that 120 people were on the waiting list kept by the housing authority. In a conversation with the Wareham Housing Authority on Tuesday morning, the list was “sanitized” down to 100.  Among the 100, only 40 were Wareham residents.

I recognize there is a waiting list for housing authority units, but most of those who are on the list cannot afford the “market rate” rentals and will still be on the waiting list after the affordable Westfield units are filled.

Why? According to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, the state funding sources require that the units be awarded through a lottery process.  No preference is given to people already in Housing and Urban Development subsidized housing, but current residents are allowed to participate in the lottery. How can we guarantee Wareham residents will have first choice?

There were several promises made about Westfield, and as a community, we should make sure those promises are kept. Our seniors deserve it!

Larry McDonald

Wareham