Could Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy become senior housing someday?

QUINCY – If Eastern Nazarene College ever goes out of business, the property should be used for senior housing, Mayor Thomas Koch says.

Koch has asked the city council to approve an overlay district for the property, a move prompted by the Aug. 1 announcement that migrant families were being helped and housed on the ENC campus, Koch's chief of staff, Chris Walker, told The Patriot Ledger.

The announcement drew criticism from Koch at the time, and a meeting to discuss the shelter last week grew heated as residents and state and city officials debated the issue, which is affecting cities and towns statewide as migrants flow into Massachusetts.

Walker said it's not the shelter or family welcome center but ENC's need to find other uses for substantial portions of its property that raised questions with city officials about the college's long-term financial stability.

What would the proposed overlay district accomplish?

The overlay district proposal was introduced at the Sept. 18 city council meeting. If adopted, it would limit future development of the ENC campus to low-density senior housing if the college closes and sells its 20 acres of land in Wollaston.

In a letter to Quincy City Council President Noel DiBona, Koch proposed an overlay district of housing for people 55 and older.

Walker said overlay districts for senior housing are relatively rare. He pointed to Randolph as one example in the region.

According to a document Walker emailed to The Patriot Ledger, the district's purpose would be "to encourage the development of housing opportunities available to senior residents within the City of Quincy, with particular focus on residents who have lived and raised their families in Quincy and now find themselves unable to afford to remain in the city."

The Koch administration had prioritized increasing affordable housing options for seniors in its "five-year housing production plan" released in June 2022.

The council sent the overlay district proposal to its ordinance committee.

"I love the idea of a proactive approach," DiBona said. "I think this opens the doorway for other areas and other developments around the city that may have to be tweaked down the road."

What is the "enrollment cliff," and how is it affecting Eastern Nazarene?

In his letter, Koch wrote that the measure does not imply imminent closure or sale of college property and expressed his hope that Eastern Nazarene remains in the city for decades to come.

"It is no secret, however, that like many similar institutions of higher education, the college faces challenges," Koch wrote.

In an interview at his office, ENC Vice President of Academic Affairs Bill McCoy described "ferocious" competition to enroll a dwindling pool of potential students. He said the number of high school graduates in the Northeast has severely declined, a trend – known as the "enrollment cliff" and blamed on lower birth rates – he expects will intensify over the next decade.

McCoy said high operational costs also have affected the college's effort to provide an affordable education to its students.

"We need all the creativity we can muster to try to put the right resources in place to support our students and help us fulfill our mission," McCoy said.

Part of ENC's plan is to appeal to nontraditional students. McCoy said the college has launched its first fully online academic programs over the past three years.

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Eastern Nazarene has also partnered with MassHire to offer certifications in areas such as bookkeeping and accounting to unemployed people looking to rejoin the workforce.

"Any school that isn't making those kinds of pivots isn't going to make it," McCoy said.

The college also has also sought alternative uses for its facilities on campus, as illustrated by the welcome center and temporary shelter.

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In May 2022, Eastern Nazarene opened 30 residence halls to Quincy College nursing students who need affordable housing. It has also increased the scope of its summer camp and conference programs, according to the college website.

Many small colleges are facing challenging times, especially in the Northeast, McCoy said.

In 2020, a MetroWest Daily News report said 18 private colleges in Massachusetts had closed or merged within the previous five years. A new set of regulations was adopted governing how state higher education officials screen colleges and universities for financial risks and potential closures.

What is Eastern Nazarene College's financial position?

In March 2021, the New England Commission of Higher Education, an accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, told Eastern Nazarene that the college was in danger of not meeting the commission's "standard on institutional resources."

The report, which was based on a self-study completed by Eastern Nazarene in 2020, singled out enrollment and budget deficits as areas of concern.

Because of the commission's report, McCoy said, "we have been subject to, and participated in, a heightened level of scrutiny from (the commission) and from the Board of Higher Education. We continue to cooperate fully with them and provide them the information they're requiring, and we remain optimistic about the future."

He said Eastern Nazarene's financial statement for fiscal 2022 reported a second consecutive budget surplus, with revenues exceeding expenses by $102,854.

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Reach Peter Blandino at pblandino@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy mayor wants senior housing zone for Eastern Nazarene property