Shrewsbury Housing Authority Pivots Elizabeth Street Project to Duplex, Bond Financing Model

SHREWSBURY -- May 12, 2026, Shrewsbury Housing Authority reorganizes and shifts Elizabeth Street housing project toward duplexes and bond financing. The board unanimously reelected Richard Ricca as Chairperson, Paul Campanella as Vice Chair, Kathleen McSweeney as Treasurer, and Maria Smith as Secretary at its May 12 Annual Meeting. Following reorganization, Ricca outlined a pivot away from a large multifamily building model favored by Massachusetts Housing Partnership, saying the board's preference was duplex construction scaled to the surrounding post-war neighborhood: "Duplexes will fit in down there, I think of Ridgeland Road, it's the same neighborhood." The board identified approximately $548,000 in the Community Preservation Committee's dedicated housing reserve, plus a general unallocated CPC balance of just under $3 million, as potential backing for a construction bond. A town-owned 1.2-acre parcel adjacent to the Elizabeth Street site was set aside after members concluded it likely includes Coolidge School athletic fields. Ricca was appointed as the authority's CPC delegate effective July 1, replacing McSweeney, who has held the seat since the town enacted the CPA in 2020. The board also approved four financial items totaling approximately $273,641, including a vendor check register of $78,838.56 and Section 8 disbursements of $188,876.