Town Manager remembered

AMHERST, Sept. 21, 2015 --- Amherst Town Manager John Musante, whose town was recognized by MHP for its outstanding work in affordable housing, passed away suddenly over the weekend. He was 53.

Musante died Sunday after an ambulance responded to his home for a medical emergency at 8:45 a.m. The son of former Northampton Mayor David Musante, John Musante came to Amherst as finance director in in 2004 and was named town manager in 2010. He had previously been finance director of Northampton, as well as budget director and chief of staff for New Bedford and the town manager in Lenox.

In 2014, MHP recognized the Town of Amherst with a Housing Hero Award for its ongoing efforts to preserve and increase its affordable housing supply in a market where the presence of college students puts constant pressure on the town's affordable housing supply. During Musante's tenure, Amherst did many things to keep its affordable housing supply over 10 percent, including:

• Butternut Farm, 26 affordable apartments. Town supported this project with CPA funds.

• Olympia Oaks, 41 affordable apartments. Built on town land with a Ch. 40B permit, the town also contributed $595,000 in CPA funds.

• Rolling Green, preservation of 41 affordable apartments in a 202-unit apartment complex. The town moved to find a buyer for this expiring use property and then contributed $1.25 million in CPA funds to help preserve 41 affordable rental units.

• Town voted to establish a municipal housing trust fund and a supplemental dwelling bylaw.

MHP Senior Advisor Rita Farrell, who specializes on working with towns like Amherst on affordable housing, said Musante was unique in his interest in affordable housing.

"One of the goals the town sets for its town manager is the creation and preservation of affordable housing and John embraced this goal with a passion and urgency that is rare among local officials," said Farrell, who worked most recently with Musante and the town on the preservation of Rolling Green. "One of John's greatest pleasures was to attend a ribbon cutting or dedication where he was able to connect with families whose lives were positively impacted by their new housing. He played an integral role in the Rolling Green negotiations and had a vision for more affordable units to be built and preserved in Amherst."

For more information on Musante and his dedication to economic development and housing in Amherst, click here.