Council backs Renewal Initiatives on Town Lodging House

City Council · Meeting of September 16, 2026

Easthampton City Council endorsed Renewal Initiatives for the Town Lodging House. On a voice vote, it backed the Property Committee's 3-0 recommendation after extended public comment from neighbors and veterans split between Renewal Initiatives and Living Meadow Farm. The recommendation conditions the sale on 17 units for households at or below 80 percent of area median income and bans solar arrays and sewage sludge cake on the farmland.

Procurement Officer Michael Owens called the process "very open and transparent," while Elodie Chickwin said she filed an open meeting law complaint that day. The council also approved up to $50,810 for Ferry and Parsons Street easements and amended its ordinances to add a cryptocurrency ATM ordinance with $300 daily fines per device.

In the full story:

• Community Emergency Response Team recognition
• Supplemental appropriation
• Ferry Street and Parsons Street order of taking
• Cryptocurrency ATM ordinance
• Public comment on rent and divestment
• Town Lodging House, 75 Oliver Street
• Home rule petition, announcements and reports
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 1,398 words

Source: the City Council meeting of September 16, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.