Glenn Gibbs, Ipswich's director of planning, told the selectmen last night that he could see no reason why the town shouldn't back a plan put forward by the YMCA of the North Shore to build two low-income apartment buildings on neighboring lots on County Road.

The project, which also has the backing of the Planning Board, is better than the alternative, developer Ted Raymond's proposal to build 15 low-income units in downtown Ipswich, Gibbs said.

"The YMCA is willing to do more units, it will do rental units and it will do more affordable units," said Gibbs.

The selectmen agreed, for the most part.  They raised one question - about the project's ties to Raymond - and they said that concern was not grave enough to negate the project's value.

The YMCA wants to construct two buildings next to the organization's branch on County Way.  One building would hold 30 apartments; the other would have 18 apartments, a YMCA-run child care center and commercial space that would be sold to another business.

All of the units would be set aside for low-income residents under the state's affordable housing law, Chapter 40B.

The deal came about after the YMCA purchased the lots on either side of its branch at 110 County Road in early January.  The organization bought the land from Raymond, an Ipswich resident who is building the Turner Hill golf course/luxury housing development.

To win approval for Turner Hill, Raymond had promised that he would put 15 low-income units in the downtown area.  But that obligation will now be turned over to the YMCA, which bought the two lots for $200,000 less than their appraised value.

Selectman James Engel questioned the arrangement.  The town could be setting a dangerous precedent if it lets developers wiggle out of their promises to build low-income homes, he said.

"This has everything to do with if a developer has been required to build 15 affordable housing units somewhere else in town, will the town be willing to waive that requirement for something of  $200,000 in value?" Engel said.

But he agreed with other selectmen that the YMCA's project is better than Raymond's.  Ipswich would get more affordable housing, and the YMCA would charge lower rents than Raymond would.

The selectmen voted unanimously to send a letter to the state Department of Housing and Community Development laying out the town's position on the project.

State housing regulators will review the project to determine if it qualifies for low-income housing tax credit.  Work on the project is expected to begin late this year, at the earliest, with first units opening in August or September of 2005.

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