B’nai B’rith Housing New England Inc. presented its proposal for a 41-unit senior and veteran rental housing development to the Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday, drawing some concerns from nearby residents.

“I’ve heard several times that the developers have met with community members. I don’t know what neighbors or community members they met with. I don’t think they’ve met with anybody that actually lives around the building,” Alysha McCarthy, who lives directly across from where the proposed housing units will be. “I’m wondering if we can set up a meeting.”

In recent years, the town has prioritized expanding affordable housing, particularly for residents over age 55 and veterans. Swampscott is in the process of creating an affordable housing development at 12-24 Pine St. (acquired May 15, 2024) and the adjacent property at 10 New Ocean St. A land development and lease agreement was formed with B’nai Brith Housing.  

Attorney John Smolak of Smolak & Vaughan LLP in North Andover, representing the development team, addressed the board during Tuesday night’s meeting. In addition to McCarthy, about a dozen residents attended the meeting to speak about their concerns and listen to the presentation.

B’nai B’rith’s proposals drew resistance from some Swampscott residents due to the affordable housing building’s intended height and if the VFW post were to remain at its location. In December of 2024, the Select Board had voted 3-1 to support the three-story housing building over the two pieces of land.  

A land agreement was signed in December of 2024 with B’nai B’rith, who had previously developed The Machon, an affordable senior housing complex in Swampscott, in 2021.

This meant the VFW post would need to relocate. In July, however, the Select Board had unanimously approved the creation of a special purpose stabilization fund to eventually appropriate money for a VFW post at 89 Burrill St.

The proposed coastal design for the three-story tall Veterans Crossing project includes 41 one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments, each approximately 600 sq. ft, according to a presentation by Senior Project Manager Holly Grace. The apartment layouts include full kitchens with dishwashers. Soldier On is expected to work with B’nai B’rith to support veteran housing.

“This plan is consistent with Swampscott’s housing plan and Master Plan goals,” Grace said, later adding that the neighbors were invited to different meetings but that B’nai B’rith would be happy to continue to discuss any concerns they may have.

Grace said on Tuesday that the group will use a “service-enriched senior housing model” to ensure social wellness, community building and additional services while the building is still set up as independent living.

B’nai B’rith proposes to have “a nice robust planting plan,” which would “clean up that intersection.” The plan includes 35 on-site spaces for parking, which exceeds the Institute of Traffic Engineers’ data for senior housing (25 to 27 spaces) but it is on par with The Machon. A small amount of light would spill onto New Ocean Street, but with the existing street lights, B’nai B’rith said there would be no issues. The group will also replace the flag pole with a new one. There is also a proposed smoking shed. 

“We want this building to continue to shine and sparkle into the future,” Grace said. “We’ll work happily to make that happen.”

Senior Project Manager Yara Vergucht shared on Tuesday that 23 of the units would be available to households that earn 30% of the area median income (AMI), and 18 of the units will be for those earning 60% of the AMI. The entire building is set to be considered “affordable housing.”

“The site is centrally located, especially for seniors. It’s within walking distance to the Senior Center and Town Hall, which helps with social connection and something that we’ve heard is very important to the seniors and veterans as well. It helps them as they age independently and stay in place,” Vergucht said.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Smolak shared that the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities confirmed that the “project is eligible for subsidy under the low income tax credit program.” The state office also decided the project is designed appropriately for the purpose and location as well as is financially feasible. 

The group will pay real estate taxes to the town.

McCarthy raised an issue with pests already in her area and what 41-units of residents could bring.

“With the renovation of a house on our back lot, the Boynton Street project and the demolition of the building that was on the Veterans Crossing site, has created a huge rat problem already, and I can’t imagine what 41-units of trash and dumpsters outside is going to create,” McCarthy said.

Another concern McCarthy raised, however, is with the culvert, noting that when the town flushes out the area, her “toilet has exploded” in the past. Zoning Board of Appeals Chair Heather Roman said that with the plan, the culvert at Stacey’s Brook, which flows into King’s Beach, will be moved.

“That is something that we really want to be understood,” Roman said. “That’s something that’s on our radar. It’s on the town’s radar, and it’s on the developer’s radar.”

McCarthy also was concerned about how “for living on the corner of a busier road, we have relatively good privacy” that may be diminished with the housing plan.

“It seems like now there’s going to be lawn chairs and activities and lots of people directly in front of our porches where we drink coffee and sit on the steps with our kids and let them ride their scooters in the morning,” McCarthy said. 

Roman said there are no particular zoning bylaws around the privacy issues but that it can be a discussion with B’nai B’rith.

Neighbor Steve Gadman said he had requested the decibel levels for heating pumps and other equipment but has yet to receive a response. B’nai B’rith shared on Tuesday that the sole system is electronic that will be “dampered (sic) as much as possible.”

Gadman also raised concerns of people “using Pine Street as a parking lot.”

“People that go to the local now park in front of our houses and the attitude that we get is ‘call the cops, by the time they get here I’ll be gone,’ and it’s an everyday occurrence that they park there,” Gadman said. “With the residents there and us being in front of our house, it’s going to create a huge problem.”

Zoning Board of Appeals Member Marc Kornitsky added that there could be food deliveries as well as Amazon trucks and others that need to be taken into account with B’nai B’rith’s plan.

The Zoning Board of Appeals has hired a professional consultant to assist with the review process, though they were not present at Tuesday’s meeting.

“They will watch this meeting and review the materials submitted, and they will help guide us through the process,” Roman said. 

Roman said the consultant may be reaching out to B’nai B’rith for additional information.

The Zoning Board of Appeals has 180 days to make a final decision on the project, according to Roman. Tuesday night’s hearing will continue to the Zoning Board of Appeals’ next meeting in October.

On B’nai B’rith’s side, the group has an upcoming Conservation Commission application process because of the floodplain. There are also upcoming funding deadlines. 

“This development is 100% affordable. It relies on state and federal funding, but we need to apply and be allocated,” Grace said. “We have applications coming up to the North Shore HOME Consortium and to the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.”