Lately, I have read a few letters promoting the idea that developers are responsible for the recent push for density and affordable housing in Newton, that “the promise of affordable housing has long been the Developers’ promise,” and “this density movement is most funded by and is primarily in the interest of real estate speculators, finance and developers.”
Developers are not promoting affordable housing or zoning for more density. Developers will build large, luxury homes and apartments where these options make the most money; this is just business common sense. But citizen advocacy is now leading our elected officials — locally and at the state level — to pass laws that make it economically feasible for developers also to build relatively affordable, compact housing.
Newton already has an inclusionary zoning regulation requiring all projects with more than 7 housing units to provide at least some units that are affordable in perpetuity. The state legislature recently amended the statewide Zoning Act to require 175 transit-rich “MBTA communities,” including Newton, to zone for more density around transit stops. Given exorbitant land costs in Newton and many other places, the only way to bring down the cost of rental or ownership housing, other than through government subsidies, is by splitting the cost of the land among more units on a given parcel — in
other words, by increasing density.
Allowing more people to live near village centers in Newton will support local businesses. Creating denser living opportunities near transit also allows more residents to choose “car-light” living, thus helping to mitigate the climate impacts of more auto-centric neighborhoods.
These new rules are not promoted by developers; they are actions by government representatives responding to the affordable housing and climate crises we face.
Lisa Monahan