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The Reading Experience Planning and Affordable Housing
Peter Hechenbleikner, Retired Town Manager, Reading, June 5, 2014
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Reading, MA
ABOUT READING
• 12 miles north of Boston • Largely white-collar • Increasing home values; low crime • High rates of homeownership (81.2%) • Well educated (1/2 of residents a four-year college degree) • Excellent public schools - better than 98% of all U.S., better
than 87% of schools in MA. 2
CNBC 2012 poll Ranked Reading in the top 10 “most perfect suburbs”
Best mix of affordable housing, good schools, educated neighbors, low crime, employment, and reasonable commute
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Beacon Court 40B Example of difficult site conditions
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Experience with “less than optimal” 40B developments & other zoning efforts
Greystone 40B Example of poorly located
affordable housing
Downtown mixed use zoning – unrealistic and unreasonable standards and restrictions, by special permit – nothing built
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Milestones – Affordable Housing
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• 2003 - only 9% of cities and towns met 10% affordability criterion of. Chapter 40B.
• Reading was in the majority
2000 404 units of affordable housing 4.6%
2005 675 units of affordable housing 6.2%
2010 685 units of affordable housing 7%
2012 817 units of affordable housing 8.52%
2012 817 units of affordable housing 7.15% (re-set because of census)
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Current SHI
Census 2010 Total Housing Units 9,584
Total SHI 685
Current % Subsidized 7.15
Projected SHI Units by Project
ü 30 Haven - Oaktree 11
ü Reading Woods 43
ü Johnson Woods I 17
ü Johnson Woods II 19
MF Charles 3
45 Beacon Street (40B) 3
Peter Sanborn Place (LIP) 47
Current + Projected 828
Future % SHI 8.64
Additional Units Needed 130
Total SHI Needed 958
% Subsidized 10
The Reading housing plan will need to demonstrate the development of 48 units (0.5%) per year
A total of 143 units in the queue to be on the SHI in the next few years
Need 130 more units to reach 10% 5
Outlook Beyond 2012
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Planning for Affordable Housing
Smart Growth (40R) Zoning Incentives: Ø 2 Smart Growth (40R) Districts;
Other Zoning Incentives: Ø Planned Unit Districts (PUD-R); Ø Planned Residential Districts (PRD);
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Planning Initiatives In addition to and supplementing 40R Smart Growth zoning:
Ø Housing Production Plan; Ø Regional Housing Services (DLTA); Ø Regional Mapping Project – highlighting priority
development and preservation areas Ø Asking for more affordable housing from developers; Ø Encouraging friendly 40B’s (two pending); Ø Supporting non-profit affordable housing developers.
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PUD-‐R and Local Ini0a0ve Program (LIP)
Johnson Woods, Phase I • 166 total units • 17 affordable units (10%)
Johnson Woods, Phase II
• 127 new units (under construction),
• 19 affordable units (15%).
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Reading’s Commitment to Affordable Housing
In March 2011, MassHousing rejected a 40B proposal
“Reading has made a good-‐faith effort to increase its affordable housing stock, most notably by approving two Smart Growth Overlay Zoning Districts under Chapter 40R”
“the parcel of land already included two exisEng homes that fit in well with the paGern of development in the surrounding neighborhood”…and to “replace the exisEng homes with 20 new units of housing, especially in the context of a constrained site plan, was in our opinion ill-‐advised”
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40R Smart Growth Zoning
Downtown 40R Smart Growth District - 2009
• Creates 256 potential housing units within 26 acres
• 53 units recently completed (20% affordable)
Gateway 40R Smart Growth District - 2007
• Created 202 housing units • 43 affordable units completed
(25% +1)
458 Total Units By Right
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Smart Growth - Affordable Housing
Oaktree – 30 Haven Street Reading Woods – 1 Jacob Way
Downtown Smart Growth District Oaktree Development 53 units built – 11 affordable units
Gateway Smart Growth District Reading Woods 202 units built - 43 affordable units
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30 Haven Street (DSG) Transit oriented
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30 Haven Street (DSG) Mixed Use
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Fits within the downtown fabric
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30 Haven Street (DSG)
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Who lives there?
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30 Haven Street (DSG)
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24.5% of the units have children 12 children total
30% of the units have pets 15 pets total10 dogs & 5 cats
Cars7% or 4 of the units don't have carsIncluding 27% of the affordable units (3 out of 11) don't have cars22% or 11 of the total units have 2 cars
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Planned Addi0onal DSG MF Charles Building – Downtown Smart Growth 40R • Phased Mixed Use – Historic Rehab • Local developer will add up to14 future residential units • Will add 3 affordable units
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Downtown Smart Growth
What makes it work? • Design Guidelines give the community some control • “As of Right” gives the developer some certainty • Presence of downtown parking for the commercial aspects • Underground parking meets resident parking demand • Redevelopment gave us the opportunity • Lots of process
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Downtown Smart Growth
What does the community get out of it? • Provision of affordable housing with some level of local control • Support for economic development broadly – jobs cannot grow without housing for workers • Offers another housing alternative • Sustainability model of development – less cars on the roads, ability to walk to work/mass transit • Community vibrancy and sense of place • Enhances the community reputation as a great place to live, work, and play
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Population Trends – Ø expected 54% increase in the 60+ age group from 2010 to 2020; SHI Regulations – Ø only received credit for 11 of the 53 rental units at the Oaktree Development (DSG) since Reading’s DSG 40R zoning requires only 20% affordable Ø DHCD regulations require 25% affordability for full credit of all rental units. Ø DHCD intends to (has?) clarify this in the future for potential 40R communities. 20
Challenges and Opportunities
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Managing Development Ø balance development and preservation. Ø DLTA Regional Mapping project - aid in guiding development Friendly 40B’s Ø could generate additional units, positive for SHI but need to be aware of other impacts
Managing Responsibilities for Existing Affordable Housing Stock
Ø Regional approach 21
Challenges and Opportunities (continued)