How long will Union Square be affordable?

By David Taber

Two citizens groups filed petitions to amend a proposal for new zoning in Union Square at the Board of Aldermen’s meeting last Thursday, and a third sent the board a letter describing other concerns.

These concerns have inspired Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone to dump his original proposal, which was submitted last October, and draw up a new one that will take some of them into account.

Overall, Curtatone said this rezoning process has, so far, been the one of the least acrimonious he has ever participated in.  “This has not been too bad,” he said.  And he hopes to have his new proposal before the board, which has final say in any rezoning, by April, he said.

But community members are concerned about gentrification, abutters rights, and even the way the zoning map was drawn, and there is at least one potential fight looming as the rezoning is reworked —- affordable housing.

The proposal would have allowed for construction up to 12 stories on lots over 25,000 square feet, but would require half of the gross floor area of the ground floor of any new development to be dedicated to commercial, industrial, institutional recreational or other non-residential use. It also required that a minimum of five percent of total floor space be dedicated to artist housing, gallery space, theater space, art studios or a craft-related retail store.

It called for the standard 12.5 percent of residential units to be set aside for affordable housing, but for 50 percent of the affordable housing to be set aside specifically for artists.  Explaining the rationale for the zoning, Curtatone said Somerville has the second highest number of artists, per capita, of any city in the U.S., with a particular concentration around Union Square.

“The creative economy is part of our economic engine,” he said. The goal, he said, is to preserve and expand on the creative culture that exists in Union Square, create a sense of place, and to make sure that artists do not get priced out of the city.

Representatives from the abutter’s group, Union Square Neighbors, and citywide affordable housing advocates, the Affordable Housing Organizing Committee (AHOC), both said they agree with the rationale for the rezoning and support its basic principles.

But representatives from AHOC said they want to see more done to protect affordable housing in the square. To this end they submitted amendment language to the Board of Aldermen that would raise the percentage of affordable units to 15 percent and reduce the set-aside for artists to 25 percent.

Ellen Shacter, a housing lawyer with Cambridge/Somerville legal services and an AHOC member, said that even with the higher percentages, there is likely to be a great deal of displacement as the square gets developed.  And while the group has not come out against having space set-aside for artists, there are some in the group who completely oppose the idea, Shacter said.

“The set-aside allows for artists to skip to the top of the list, some people think the old-timers should get to go to the top,” but not the overall increase in affordable housing to 15 percent. And AHOC is determined to do everything they can to make their case.

“When the Red Line came into Davis Square we saw a lot of people being priced out who had lived there for a long time,”said Nancy Bacci, co-chair of AHOC.  “Our hope is to do some small piece to mitigate against low and middle income displacement,” she said.

“It’s very important for developers to give back a small part of their potential profit for affordable housing,” said AHOC’s other co-chair, Matan Benyishay.  The group commissioned a study from housing analysts LDS Consulting Group, which they say shows the increase to 15 percent would have a minimal effect on profits.

“The impact on profits would be so low, it would be less than one percent,” Benyishay said.  But city hall spokesman Thomas Champion said Somerville’s inclusionary zoning is already high compared to surrounding cities. Boston and Newton each require only 10 percent of new residential units be made affordable, he said. And, he said, the cities new zoning plan is already requiring a lot of developers.

“If you say, ‘ here is a set-aside that is a pretty healthy set-aside, and you want five percent set-aside for art uses and 50 percent required landscaped area to be designed for usable open space,’ you are asking a lot,” he said. “If you say, ‘okay, we are going to up the affordable housing commitment,’ you would have to recalibrate all the other criteria.”

AHOC turned out over 100 people to comment on the zoning at a public hearing in December, Benyishay said, and a number of members of the Board of Aldermen have expressed support for their position.

“I don’t think they are on board with any proposition as yet,” he said.  In addition to AHOC, another group, Union Square Neighbors, submitted amendment language at the BOA meeting which would, among other things, reduce the maximum allowed height for new development from 140 feet to between 60 and 70 feet, and reduce the maximum allowed ratio of floor area to lot area.

Union Square Neighbors also proposed the percentage of affordable housing set-aside for artists to be reduced to 25 percent.  And Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston said she met with another group of residents on the south side of Somerville Avenue on the east side of the square, who are concerned with the way the zoning map was drawn.

“This group of people wanted to know why they were left out,”Heuston said.  The amendments proposed by AHOC and Union Square Neighbors have no legal standing because they sought to amend a proposal and not a standing ordinance, but Heuston said the board will still consider them, along with other community recommendations when the board’s land use committee meets next week.

“We have a lot to sift through,” Heuston said.

Comments

[quit withtheleadingquestions]

First off, Union square is not affordable.

[Yah, really]

The graduate with a science degree asks, "Why does it work?" The
Graduate with an engineering degree asks, "How does it work?" The
Graduate with an accounting degree asks, "How much will it cost?" The
Graduate with an art degree asks, "Do you want fries with that?"

[Joe Curtatone]

Wait, where's all the ranting about a sinister plot SCC to move more poor people and criminals in to Union Square and destroy the neighborhood? Could it be that the Newsies actually agree with this one!?

[hey now]

We are we going to stop blaming each other and start blaming predatory lenders for gentrification in Somerville. When are we going to start blaming the Developers and contractors and the politicians they buy? Why do allow PayDay loan sharks to operate in our community?

[it *is* funny]

I read an interesting article in the Union Square Main Streets newsletter (chock full of info, subscribe if you don't already). Smart growth makes so much sense to me, from what I've read. The approach includes various components, the one that jumped out at me is a need for "compact buildings". How does this square with the proposed zoning changes to double the height of the buildings in Union? Is the important point about the footprint of the buildings? Anyone care to educate me? Are we just calling it Smart Growth?

[Bill Shelton]

The idea of “compact buildings” refers to getting the maximum use from a given square footage of land. The opposite of compact buildings would be the physical design that goes with “suburban sprawl”—low-rise buildings surround by expanses of lawn or parking lot.

The idea of compact buildings can best be understood in the context of some of the other smart growth principles:

Mixed land use—a compact building could have those uses that bring the most visitors on the first floor, e.g., retail, service businesses, public service offices, and those uses that bring fewer visitors on the upper floors, e.g., offices and housing. Mixed use also creates 24/7 activity, which discourages crimes.

Preservation of open space—taller buildings and shallower setbacks make more efficient use of land, reducing the consumption of open space, farmland, natural beauty, and sensitive ecologies.

Walkable neighborhoods—compact buildings shallow front setbacks of and their continual windows and doors facing the street create a more comfortable urban walking environment, encourage interaction, and discourage crime.

Fostering distinctive communities and a sense of place—building a neighborhood of compact buildings with these characteristics simultaneously creates a built environment that is more distinctive than suburbia and social interaction that fosters a sense of community.

Variety of transportation choices—the more compact the buildings are, the denser the land use is, and therefore, the more property tax revenues are produced to pay for public transportation, bike paths, parks, etc.

The last point is true for all public services and infrastructure. On the one hand, building intensively creates a higher assessed value and higher taxes per acre. On the other, it reduces the per capita public infrastructure. For example, one fire station can effectively serve many more households in an urban area than in a suburb. New York city consumes the least energy per capita of any U.S. city—ten times less energy per person than Dallas, for example.

All of these are good reasons why some people are advocating increasing building heights in Union Square. Others are opposing height increases by saying that they will create shadows and wind tunnels, and “destroy” the Square’s character. I believe that it is incumbent on both groups to present real evidence, specific to Union Square, on what the optimal heights should be. So far, I personally am more persuaded by the tall building advocates.

[it *is* funny]

Thanks Bill. I appreciate that thoughtful response. I live across the street from a very tall church myself, and the concerns about living in shadows and creating wind tunnels are valid -- but I agree that the evidence needs to be presented about the application in Union Square. Handled thoughtfully it shouldn't be a deal-breaker.

[Born Here]

maybe the Union Square Task Force (USTF) should find out who is defacing the square with duct tape all over the buildings. Probably some artsy fartsy type who doesnt pay taxes. It looks like crap. Oh, the green line will cure all. Anyone read the MBTA crime stats in the Herald?

[Ron Newman]

The duct tape is part of a temporary Somerville Arts Council project:ArtsUnion Lightscapes. It will be up through April.

Davis Square has thrived with a 50-foot/4-story height limit. I'm not necessarily against taller buildings than that in Union Square, but first I'd like to see the parking lots and one-story buildings (e.g. Riverside Kawasaki, Goodyear) replaced by higher buildings within the existing limit.

[Art?]

The Somerville Arts Council needs to begin using their own property for their 'art'. This group is such a waste of time and money that it isn't even funny.

[Union Square]

There is really no reason or need for the height limit to be increased in Union Square. Take a walk through parts of downtown Boston, or through smaller urban areas like Malden Center. Dark, deserted wind tunnels (despite 'mixed use'), cold and uninviting!
And by the way, tax revenues increase only if you can fill these massive structures. Look at vacancy rates of offices, condos, etc.