Committee advances senior housing through farmland partnership pilot
Deerfield senior housing committee launches state-backed farmland conversion pilot. Committee Chair Lili Dwight and members C. Blake Gilmore and Carolyn Shores Ness met with state legislators to explore a model allowing seniors to downsize while young farmers purchase their land using Agricultural
Ad Hoc Senior Housing Committee · Meeting of May 27, 2026
Deerfield senior housing committee launches state-backed farmland conversion pilot. Committee Chair Lili Dwight and members C. Blake Gilmore and Carolyn Shores Ness met with state legislators to explore a model allowing seniors to downsize while young farmers purchase their land using Agricultural Preservation Restrictions.
The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources has selected Deerfield as a pilot community to prioritize non-preserved farmland for senior housing. The committee identified Community Preservation Act dollars, the RAFT program, and Eversource's Good Neighbor Fund as funding sources for senior rental and heating assistance.
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Source: the Ad Hoc Senior Housing Committee meeting of May 27, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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