Cambridge’s affordable housing overlay enabled a local nonprofit to win approval for 106 apartments at 52 New St., roughly 30 more than would have been permitted through the city’s traditional zoning. Image courtesy of RODE Architects

By now it’s well documented that Greater Boston’s high housing costs have not only led to homelessness and housing instability for hundreds or thousands of residents, but also threaten our region’s economic competitiveness. Despite that, housing policy and zoning reform have moved in slow motion, if at all. 

While most other municipalities drag their feet in the face of this crisis, in Cambridge – where the affordability crisis is most severe – housing advocates, the city and affordable housing developers have taken more urgent, dial-moving steps. In addition to allocating substantial municipal funding to affordable housing, and implementing aggressive inclusionary housing and linkage policies, Cambridge recently enacted a first-of-its-kind zoning reform – the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) – that will clear the way for the development of more quality affordable housing. 

The 16-month-old AHO, which has already been replicated in neighboring Somerville, provides density and height bonuses, and reduced setback requirements for affordable housing developments. The AHO makes such developments “as of right” – i.e. no variances or special permits required – with advisory design review by the city’s Planning Board. These provisions help affordable housing developers compete with market-rate developers for limited development opportunities. They also open up affordable housing development opportunities in higher-income Cambridge neighborhoods, while making the permitting process more predictable and expeditious. 

And while it’s still early, it’s already clear that the AHO will be an effective tool in the affordable housing “toolbox” and that the affordable housing need not come at the expense of constructive community input, great design and thriving neighborhoods. Just A Start, a Cambridge-based nonprofit with a 54-year affordable housing and job training track record, has led the way with the first project permitted under the AHO. Our 52 New St. project, in collaboration with RODE Architects and permitted earlier this year, is a well-designed development with 106 family-sized apartments adjacent to a park and walking distance to shopping and other West Cambridge amenities. 

Swifter Approvals, Greater Density 

Don’t take my word for it. A member of Cambridge’s Planning Board – whose input at two public hearings improved an already well-designed project – declared the New Street development a “poster project” for the AHO. Neighbors agreed. Public comments unanimously favored project approval, something I have never seen in my 35-year affordable housing development career.  

In addition to what meets the eye – bold and appealing architecture, spacious family-sized apartments and direct access to open space – the project is designed and will be built to Passive House standards, the very highest energy efficiency standards. As such, the project is a bold response not only to the affordable housing crisis but also to the climate crisis. 

Thanks to the AHO, the project includes approximately 30 more apartments than it would have been had it been permitted through the normal process – a process that would also have enabled just one litigious neighbor to delay the permitting process or to stop the project altogether.  

Carl Nagy-Koechlin

We expect that New Street will be the first of many such projects. Right behind it is a similarly well-conceived project proposed by the Cambridge Housing Authority that will bring 278 deeply affordable apartments a short walk from the MBTA’s Alewife station. Together these projects offer a “proof of concept” for the AHO that we hope will encourage other communities to implement similarly bold policies that incentivize and expedite affordable housing development, while assuring ample opportunity for constructive community input and municipal review.  

Only a city planner like me would get excited about the AHO’s combination density and height bonuses, setback relief and revised design review process. Even more exciting and consequential – particularly to the eventual residents – is that 106 low- and moderate-income families will soon live at 52 New St. in new, affordable, energy-efficient, well-located homes with access to excellent city services, public schools and economic opportunity, all thanks to the Affordable Housing Overlay. 

Carl Nagy-Kouchlin is executive director of Cambridge-based nonprofit Just A Start.