I wholeheartedly share the goal of increasing affordable housing. However, I think the HCA as designed actually constrains our ability to do so. I am not suggesting we don’t comply, but it’s misguided to think that the HCA will actually help towards the goal of increasing affordability.
Currently, the town retains leverage with developers because projects require town meeting approval. HCA changes to “by right” zoning and we cannot ask for more than 10% affordability. Just last year, thanks to the town meeting process, Winchester was able to negotiate much more affordable housing (67%!), climate protection concessions and a payment to the town. The town of Winchester was able to get that because the vote failed at the first town meeting and the developer (Civico) had to make concessions to get the project passed. Once we rezone an area as part of our HCA district, the town meeting process is gone and our only recourse is to pay developers to “make them whole”. For Oriole Landing, because we already required 15%, the hurdle to get to 25% affordability was lower than it would be under HCA. Back then, we gave them a $1M payment for 6 units. Adjusted for inflation (the Greater Boston CPI index is up 20% since then), the cost per apartment today would be $200,000. If we consider the Mall, which will be zoned for 100 apartments, increasing affordability from 10% to 25% would cost us $3M if we need to make the developer whole. The Affordable Housing Trust doesn’t have that kind of resources. It’s naive to think that once we rezone and the developers can build by right, that we will have any leverage to increase affordable housing. >>> On Thu, Nov 16, 2023 at 19:42 Kristen Ferris <ferris.kris...@gmail.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> I wanted to add my voice to the housing discussion that has been going >>>> on here over the past few weeks. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Affordable housing is a priority that's been close to my heart since >>>> moving to Lincoln, and especially as I raise my kids here. I want my kids >>>> to grow up in a place where they have access to many different points of >>>> view, backgrounds, life experiences, and identities. I want them to live in >>>> spaces where they practice empathy and understanding across different >>>> perspectives daily, and work to deconstruct their privilege and build a >>>> more just community. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Unfortunately housing policy in our country and in our town has >>>> historically been a barrier to this – it’s worked to enshrine privilege and >>>> exacerbate inequality. We’ve chosen to maintain the segregation by race and >>>> wealth created by redlining and other explicitly racist policies through >>>> exclusionary zoning. I believe that creating denser and more affordable >>>> housing in Lincoln is our most critical tool to begin to right these >>>> historical wrongs, and create the kind of town that I want my children to >>>> grow up in. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Committing to the rezoning that the HCA requires is an important start. >>>> But, zoning does not equal housing. As I review the proposals on the table >>>> at town meeting in a few weeks to create more housing density in areas of >>>> Lincoln, my most critical criteria will be this: will developers come and >>>> actually build the housing that each proposal allows? The HCAWG has worked >>>> hard to develop proposals in the spirit of a yes to this question -- and I >>>> believe the only clear "yes" is Lincoln Station. Rezoning proposals that do >>>> not include Lincoln Station are far less likely to actually result in more >>>> housing. As such, in my view, these options don't align with a vote in >>>> favor of affordable housing. And as has been noted in previous discussions, >>>> although only 10% of new development is required to be affordable, as a >>>> town with so many voices in favor of affordable housing, we can choose to >>>> subsidize a higher percentage as we've done with Oriole Landing. But first >>>> the additional housing needs to be built -- and it likely won't be outside >>>> of Lincoln Station. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> I ask too that you consider this criteria as you weigh the options on >>>> the table. Many towns will try to do as little as possible as they comply >>>> with the HCA. They will define minimum viable units, they will tuck housing >>>> into areas that they know will never be developed. I don't think this is >>>> who we are as a town. I hope that we choose instead to use the opportunity >>>> the HCA gives us to not just comply with zoning but to create housing and >>>> moreover to create affordable housing, and in doing so, continue to share >>>> and build our town with an even broader and more diverse community. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Kristen Ferris >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>> -- >>>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>>> To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. >>>> Browse the archives at >>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>>> Change your subscription settings at >>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>>> >>>>
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