Photo by James Sanna | Banker & Tradesman Staff
Boston needs to further streamline its permitting to accelerate housing development and fight displacement, according to comments received in response to the city’s first-ever anti-displacement plan.
The plan was released in March following Mayor Michelle Wu’s State of the City address. More than 400 people submitted comments through surveys and community meetings this spring.
Respondents said increasing housing production is the single most important factor in preventing displacement. A summary of feedback was released Tuesday.
“One area of opportunity highlighted by multiple stakeholders was the need to accelerate production through streamlined permitting and reviews,” the report states.
Several initiatives to fast-track approvals are already under way.
In 2022, Wu announced a new policy designed to accelerate approvals of affordable housing projects. It gave affordable projects priority status with the goal of cutting the permitting timeline in half from an earlier average of 11 months.
Office-to-residential conversions also receive a fast-track review, along with tax breaks.
The Streets + Squares program is revamping neighboring zoning plans, with the goal of encouraging higher density housing development and eliminating the need for developers to seek variances.
The Planning Department also is reforming Article 80, the zoning code for development reviews of projects that are at least 20,000 square feet, for the first time since it was enacted in the 1990s.
Wu’s challenger in this year’s mayoral race, Josh Kraft, renewed his critique of the administration’s track record on housing production in response to the latest city release. Kraft has criticized the administration’s increase from 13 to 20 percent in minimum income-restricted housing units in new developments, blaming it for compounding developers’ financing challenges.
Kraft has proposed rolling back the minimum percentage to 13 percent for projects that are approved but thus far unable to obtain financing.
“The only way out of a housing emergency is to build MORE housing. My plan will reduce the cost of building new housing, jump start production and move Boston from among the worst in the nation to among the best in the nation,” Kraft said in a statement released by his campaign Wednesday.
Public comments also supported a new requirement that Article 80 project applications include a disclosure on displacement of residential, commercial and cultural tenants, to notify tenants of the proposed project and work with them on relocation plans including relocation assistance or the option of returning to new units.
The Boston Planning & Development Agency board of directors is scheduled to review the report at Thursday’s meeting.
