New Director of Arlington Planning and Community Development Appointed

ARLINGTON, MA - The town has a new director of Planning and Community Development.

Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine recently appointed Jennifer Raitt as Director of Planning and Community Development for the town. She will start on February 16.

Raitt was selected from a pool of over 44 applicants.

“I am extremely impressed by the depth of Ms. Raitt’s expertise,” said Chapdelaine in a statement. “Her knowledge and understanding of planning and community development issues will be a great asset to Arlington. I am confident that she will provide the highest quality of service to Arlington and I am pleased she has accepted the appointment.”

The Director of Planning and Community Development oversees and implements long-range comprehensive planning programs in Arlington related to planning, economic development, housing, arts, culture, conservation, urban renewal, zoning, and transportation, plus securing related funding and ensuring ongoing regulatory compliance in these areas.

Members of the selection team were the town manager; Andrew Bunnell, Arlington Redevelopment Board, chairman; Kevin O’Brien, former Arlington planning director; Michael Byrne, Arlington Director of Inspections; Carol Svenson, Arlington’s Master Plan Implementation Committee co-chairman; Bob Bowes of Bowes Realty, and Caryn Malloy, Arlington Human Resources Director.

Raitt currently serves as the assistant director of Land Use Planning and the Chief Housing Planner at Metropolitan Area Planning Council. She has been at MAPC since 2007 providing direct housing and planning technical assistance to municipalities and engaging in regional and statewide housing policy initiatives. Before working at MAPC, Raitt served as executive director for North Shore Housing Trust (now Harborlight Community Partners), worked as Community Development Director for the Town of Amesbury, and as an AmeriCorps*VISTA Leader for a community land trust in Holyoke.

Raitt has earned many awards, her most recent include the American Planning Association, Massachusetts Chapter Social Advocacy Award (2015); Massachusetts Municipal Association Kenneth Pickard Innovation Award (2012); and APA MA Chapter Statewide Planning Project Award (2011).

She holds a master of science in nonprofit management from The New School and a bachelor of arts in urban planning and documentary studies from University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Ms. Raitt is also an adjunct professor in the Boston University City Planning and Urban Affairs Program.

Carol Kowalski, the former director of the department, is now serving as the assistant town manager for development in Lexington.

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