Landlord Sues Cambridge Over Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance
The suit, filed by the Pioneer New England Legal Foundation, challenges a city law requiring any project of 10 units or more to permanently set aside 20 percent of it as affordable housing.
Boston Signals Flexibility on Affordability Obligations
Developers are getting an increasingly sympathetic hearing from Boston officials in an effort to break the logjam of housing projects still sitting on the drawing boards.
Has the Post-COVID Economy Broken Inclusionary Zoning?
Bravo to Mayor Michelle Wu and her team for thinking boldly about ways the city can get housing development unstuck. But her preferred solution – significant tax breaks – raises questions about the viability of high affordable housing mandates.
Condo Construction on Collision Course with IDP Changes
Policymakers in Boston could be facing a catch-22 while pursuing a pair of popular but potentially contradictory goals: encouraging developers to build more residential condominiums while requiring a higher percentage of income-restricted units.
Why Is Wu Excluding Vocal Opponents from Key Real Estate Panels?
In what looks to be an emerging trend, Boston’s mayor is leaning heavily on housing advocates for advice on highly-charged real estate issues, while excluding outspoken critics.
Affordable Overlay an Effective Tool for Boston
I applaud Mayor Michelle Wu for making Boston’s housing affordability crisis an early focus of her administration. Cambridge shows that a zoning overlay which boosts affordable housing development can produce more affordable units than inclusionary zoning.
Malden Weighs New Housing Requirements, Density Bonuses
It’s a pivotal policy question for Massachusetts communities seeking to encourage affordable housing in new developments: What’s the highest percentage of affordable units that can be required before projects become financially unfeasible?
Co-Living Projects Enter Uncharted Legal Territory in Boston
While the Boston market holds interest for co-living project operators, the city presents challenges from a regulatory perspective. Boston’s zoning code is complicated, with many neighborhoods, in effect, having their own zoning ordinances.
Boston Shouldn’t Follow Cambridge’s Lead on Affordable Requirements
Under pressure from housing activists and priced-out residents, some cities are taking aim at housing developers, hoping to achieve by government mandate what the market has so far, at least, failed to deliver. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Five Easy Pieces to Fix the Housing Crisis
The Baker Administration recently introduced legislation to help address the commonwealth’s housing crisis. Although it appropriately identifies zoning reform as a priority, a key element is missing: specific focus on families with lowest incomes. Here are five additional pieces that could help.
