INCLUSIONARY ZONING part 3

INCLUSIONARY ZONING

Thomas M. Menino, mayor of Boston, has created affordable housing via Inclusionary Zoning since 2000.

“Neighborhoods accept them well and they are well scattered about,” Geoffrey Lewis, a project manager with the Boston Redevelopment Authority, said of market rate buyer’s willingness to have affordable units created next to them.

“Our mayor wanted economic diversity throughout the neighborhoods,” he added. “They (city leaders) realize a strong middle class is going to be important to the continued vitality of Boston. The political leadership has been very strong. It understands that if we don’t get housing costs under control, it will be detrimental to our economy.”

Lewis cautioned that Inclusionary Zoning requires a strong housing market to make it work, noting “if the market isn’t strong, developers will look at Inclusionary as the thing that’s killing the project.”