EDITOR’S NOTE: A former iteration of this article misspelled Peirce Law’s first name.
Armed with blue pledge cards declaring “I will support the MBTA Communities Act,” the Marblehead Housing Coalition launched a signature campaign Oct. 28 at Abbot Public Library, seeking to build momentum for multifamily zoning.
“We are trying to get support so that whenever the next instance is, at the ballot box or town meeting, we can have 1,000 people or more pledged to support efforts to rezone areas of Marblehead,” said Peirce Law, a coalition member and Marblehead resident.
Conflict of interest?
Some opponents of the 3A zoning law have raised conflict-of-interest concerns involving Housing Coalition members.
On social media, critics pointed to the fact that coalition founder, Trevor Moore, is the son of local developer Ted Moore and is a project manager at his father’s company. Ted Moore owns three properties in one of the proposed 3A multifamily housing districts, on Tioga Way.
Ted Moore also bought land at 935 Haverhill St. in Rowley, located in a proposed 3A district, but Rowley Town Manager Curt Baker told the Current that Town Meeting voters rejected that proposal earlier in the year.
Trevor Moore denied that he has any financial motivations for supporting 3A.
“I think everyone in Marblehead will benefit from the passage of 3A. Will I benefit personally, financially, more than others? I honestly don’t know. Maybe, possibly, eventually, at some distant point in the future, if enough constellations align. I can tell you that I’m not making any plans based on that possibility,” Moore said.
He continued: “I’m involved because I believe the passage of 3A zoning will be beneficial to the town. At the very least — even if zero housing units get built, which is not my desired outcome — it will make us eligible for badly needed grant money, and foreclose the possibility of legal action from the state.”
Local resident Anthony Chamay, while opposed to 3A, defended the coalition’s right to advocate but emphasized the importance of transparency regarding business interests.
“Well, it’s ugly, but it’s legal,” Chamay said when asked about Trevor Moore’s involvement given his father’s property ownership in proposed multifamily zones. “If there’s an opportunity to make money, go for it, as long as you’re not breaking any rules or damaging somebody. This is a free enterprise system.”
However, Chamay noted that Ted Moore has been “one of the most aggressive developers in the town” and suggested that business interests should be openly acknowledged.
“[Trevor] doesn’t have to advertise it, but he shouldn’t hide it,” Chamay said.
Coalition member Brian Rooney, a Marblehead mortgage broker, emphasized he has never discussed business opportunities related to MBTA zoning with other coalition members.
“It would be hypocritical for me not to support housing in my own town when I finance projects and housing in other communities,” Rooney said.
Resident Susan Whitehill, who supports the coalition, urged the group to embrace transparency to quiet critics.
“I recommend shutting them up by listing all the members,” she said.
Rooney said some members have identified themselves on social media and in news reports. And, he pointed out that 3A opponents sent out an anonymous mailer in the spring.
The Marblehead Housing Coalition members are: Moore, Rooney, Bill Keaney, Christine Cousineau, Rick Smyers, Angus McQuilken, Ruth Sigler Law and Nancy Bennett.
What’s at stake?
The pledge drive comes after May’s narrow Town Meeting vote rejecting proposed zoning changes. Town Planner Alex Eitler warned about the financial stakes of non-compliance, explaining how Marblehead risks losing access to state grants critical for infrastructure maintenance and improvements. A recent $210,502 coastal resilience grant for waterfront infrastructure protection could be jeopardized, along with $265,000 in planning grants already awarded to the town.
“We would essentially be losing out on opportunities to access these grants,” Eitler said. “The maintenance and upkeep of critical infrastructure, whether that’s bridges, roads, or even just the walkways going to schools and sea walls, would be put into a gray zone.”
During a lengthy question-and-answer session at the Oct. 28 library event, residents pressed officials about the financial impact of non-compliance. When asked to specify the potential losses, Eitler said the total was difficult to quantify but pointed to infrastructure projects like the Village Street Bridge repair, estimated at $3 million.
“If we have to borrow money as a town, we’ve done some calculations, and the interest could be $1.7 million over 30 years, and that’s just one bridge,” Eitler said.
Residents also raised concerns about whether compliance could be restored if the town votes “yes” after the December deadline.
“Do we know that if we are non-compliant by the end of the year, but then vote for it in the May town meeting, does that put us back on an OK trajectory with the state?” asked Mimi Hollister.
Eitler responded that while it depends on specific grant deadlines, the state’s primary goal is increasing housing stock rather than punishing towns.
“They are taking into account communities such as Marblehead potentially being non-compliant in the new year, but also potentially being compliant when they have their town meeting,” he said.
Short-term rental concerns
The growing number of short-term rentals emerged as a key concern at the meeting. Several residents noted that Airbnb listings in Marblehead had increased from 100 in 2021 to 231 in 2024, potentially limiting housing availability for long-term residents.
“My daughter’s a nurse. She can’t afford to live here. Why can’t we restrict the number of Airbnbs and say, ‘I’m sorry, we’ve had enough?'” one resident asked, suggesting the town encourage long-term rentals instead.
Coalition member William Keaney, a 48-year resident, emphasized how housing limitations affect multiple generations. “Since 1970, children under 5 living in Marblehead have dropped by 50%. The school population has been declining for decades. The population of young adults 22 to 34 has dropped by half since 1970.”
Smyers, a 22-year resident who serves on the town’s Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, addressed concerns about development impact on traffic. He argued that allowing more housing near workplaces could actually reduce traffic by enabling local workers to live closer to their jobs.
“People who work in Marblehead, people who are teachers, who work at the stores and local businesses, they can’t afford to live here because they can’t afford that million-dollar home,” Smyers said. “So they live somewhere else, far away, and they commute a long distance into Marblehead and back.”
Broughton Road public housing
Terri Tauro, vice chair of the Marblehead Housing Authority, updated attendees on plans to redevelop Broughton Road with affordable housing. The project would include renovating existing units and adding 35 new units, all maintained as affordable housing through a 99-year lease agreement.
Those new 35 units would count toward 3A multifamily housing requirements.
