Easton Affordable Housing Trust allocates $286,000, plans for $3 million in projects

EASTON — June 24, 2026 — Easton Affordable Housing Trust opens planning effort to deploy $3 million reserve toward new housing. The Trust, meeting in person for the first time in months on June 24, voted unanimously to divide a $285,925 Community Preservation Act appropriation from the May 18 Annual Town Meeting between an administrative sub-account ($54,000) and a Small Development General sub-account ($231,925). Community Planner Wayne Beitler told members the Trust's total reserve now stands at approximately $3 million, built up over several years on the Community Preservation Committee's instruction. Members brainstormed potential uses tied to three surplus municipal properties — a combined fire and police station on Lothrop Street, the Center Street DPW facility, and a 12.5-acre Bay Road site on town sewer — as well as veteran housing, senior housing with a community center component, and developer partnership models. A guest attendee offered a personal introduction to Jason Korb of Capstone Communities, describing his firm as having built 100 percent affordable developments in Cambridge and as a partner in Easton's Shovel Works project. The Trust set its next meeting for Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 7 p.m.