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City approves plan to increase affordable housing in JP, Roxbury at tense meeting to which police were called
By adamg on Fri, 03/03/2017 - 9:42am
Spare Change News reports the BPDA yesterday approved new development guidelines for the Washington Street corridor that call for 40% of new residential units to be affordable. Activists, who had staged a two-day sit-in in Mayor Walsh's office to press demands the number be at least 55%, were ejected by police.
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Comments
What a joke
'Affordable' = alleged and genuine very low income people and/or those with connections. The builders also make out just fine through federal financing, tax breaks,etc. The vast majority who are getting by and could use a few breaks (or a large number of breaks like corporations, etc.) will get zip, nada.
And those who sponsor these 'affordable' housing schemes will pat themselves on their back, and pad their resume.
If you don't know what you're talking about ...
No, it doesn't mean poor people. "Affordable" means 70 or 80% of the area median income, which in Boston means $50,000 and up.
Oh please
Those "affordable" units are a cruel joke - how in the world would someone making $50,000 a year be able to swing a $250,000 mortgage and $350+ monthly condo fees? They end up going to all the trustafarian clipboard warriors who don't have much on paper, but get a fat monthly check from mommy and daddy to supplement their $16/hour "jobs for environment" paycheck.
You're assuming a lot
If a unit is supposed to be sold to someone who makes 50,000 a year, the cost would be such that they would be able to afford the monthly mortgage payment, plus other fees. The units would not be market rates.
Oh, and they are deed restricted, so buyers could not flip the units to make beaucoup profit.
Also, I don't think those clipboard kids make $50K a year. If they do, I would recommend the job to everyone, since $50K is still good bank.
50k in Boston is not bank.
50k in Boston is not bank. The cost of food, utilities, transportation, on top of housing is very high. If you have a kid and crap schools, forget it.
50k won't have you living large
But there are a lot of people in Boston making a lot less. That's why I said that $50,000 is not chimp change.
From the summary of changes
From the summary of changes for the version of the plan that was being voted on:
"Density Bonus units will be at an average of 50% AMI (approximately $1,000
max rent for a two bedroom) with some units at lower AMI’s and some at higher."
According to the BPDA's chart, that's $34,350 for a single person household and $49,050 for a four person household.
The catch here is that many of us in the neighborhood (and a few planners at the BPDA) don't think it will actually be possible for many developers to finance projects at that level of affordability, and so a lot of projects that today would probably be built with 17-20% affordability at 60-80% AMI will instead be downsized to <10 units allows them to avoid the affordable housing requirement entirely (many projects in JP already do this, so it's not hard to imagine this route becoming more popular if the requirements are too generous).
I purchased an affordable
I purchased an affordable home ownership unit in Cambridge last year. I make $37k/year as a single person working full time at a non profit. I fit into none of your categories above and I reside in affordable housing.
Really?
Please tell us how you're able to afford the down payment, mortgage and condo fees on that $37,000 paycheck - could the shortfall be coming from the bank of rich daddy?
Aren't you so brave
Cruelly trolling someone anonymously. Also it seems like you know a lot about having a rich daddy, experience maybe?
Great news
Finally, a framework to guide development.
40 percent affordable is a good achievement though I'm sure the protestors are still upset. I suggest they channel their energy towards bringing economic development and jobs to the area which will help improve everyone's standard of living.
I think it's worth pointing
I think it's worth pointing out that simply convincing the BPDA to adopt a standard isn't really an achievement. The achievement will be if they can manage to get projects built to that threshold. Personally I'm skeptical. When SF tried to push their requirement that high, they ended up bringing affordable development to a complete halt.
Ridiculous screaming babies.
Ridiculous screaming babies.
The Globe reports
22% subsidized ("affordable"). Or is that a different part of town?
Both
It's both. ::sigh:: It's messy. Depends on how you count it.
Sorry I can't be of more help. Maybe tomorrow after my hangover wears off.
Maybe it will be the
Maybe it will be the benchmark for the new and improved Suffering Downs soccer stadium and all round emporium in Easta Boston,
Developer is said to have deal to buy Suffolk Downs
https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/03/03/local-developer-said-hav...
Activists?
The Jackson campaign.