Thread by @DotGrow

🚨Thurs 11/16 @ 5:30🚨
@BostonPlans Board Mtg will incl vote to approve creating 72 new homes immediately adjacent to Shawmut MBTA on a lot currently occupied by an auto-body shop. 100% will be rented below market rate. Register to attend in support.

🧵

zoomgov.com/webinar/regist…

Building housing at 150 Centre Street has been under discussion for EIGHT long years. The current proposal is the third and has gone through 17 months of public presentations and community comment. BPDA project page at link below.

bostonplans.org/projects/devel…

The organized opposition has been very vocal, including choosing a name for themselves confusingly similar to ours & investing lots of $$$ in yard signs & a website that adopts pro-housing language, even though their unviable counterproposal would create ~50 fewer homes.

It's been heartening to see so many people pushing back against the rhetoric & fears, incl many new voices, speaking up in favor creating abundant transit-oriented apartments for new neighbors in the middle of our housing crisis.

Recent public meeting:

https://x.com/DotGrow/status/1709232717148094757?s=20

Our local paper, @DotNews, has covered the long process that got us here extensively and has hosted several Letters to the Editor and Commentary in support.

2/9

3/2

10/19

10/25 dotnews.com/2023/editor-tr…
dotnews.com/2023/commentar…
dotnews.com/2023/trinity-s…
dotnews.com/2023/editor-le…

We will be live-tweeting here and will post an unrolled link when the meeting is complete on 🧵s/🟦🌤️, but we need as many pro-housing voices in the room as possible. If you attend just one virtual hearing this year, this one would be the most impactful.
zoomgov.com/webinar/regist…

Clarification: BPDA Board starts their meeting at 3:30. *This* proposal is not up for discussion until the public comment period section of things, which starts at 5:30. They never take that early. If you register, it says the meeting starts at 3:30, but that is other business.

I'm in @BostonPlans Board Mtg, waiting for our 5:30 item.

Usual formalities:
Everything not in " marks is a good-faith paraphrase
I regret I can’t do ALT text descriptions while going fast
I will make homophone mistakes
Stuff in [brackets] is DGT/my commentary
-- = “new speaker”

Here for the Board tonight are:
Chair Priscilla Rojas
Brian Miller
Raheem Shepard
Dr. Ted Landmark



Camille Platt is the Project Manager for BPDA for 150 Centre Street

[other project links up thread]bostonplans.org/about-us/bpda-…

Dr. Ted *Landsmark*

They are going to take a 5 min break before shifting to the public agenda items.

If you want to watch but not participate, the meeting is televised on Boston City TV (Xfinity Channel 26, RCN Channel 13, and Verizon Fios Channel 962) and live-streamed at boston.gov/departments/br…

Title Slide

Michael Lozano & Chris Stanley are here on behalf of Trinity Financial, the proponent here. They first began discussions about building housing here when the parcel was listed for sale in 2015, but their first proposal received energetic opposition.

We have started.

Spanish & Vietnamese Translation are available.

[A second proposal, for town home style units at workforce housing price points, by another developer, was also threatened with litigation and opposed several by nearby neighbors. The proposal being reviewed tonight is the 3rd, Trinity's second, is the third in 8 years.]

Chair refers the audience to the project page:

bostonplans.org/projects/devel…

Ms. Platt for BPDA: Project Manager for this, presenting the report of staff.

This project has had 1 full public and 4 Impact Advisory Group Meetings and has gone through many revisions over the last 17 months.

Rep Holmes and Clr Baker officially in support.

Ford DelVecchio BPDA zoning compliance officer assigned here. Dorchester residential 2F subdistrict.

He is reviewing the zoning relief they are recommending and why.
The parking maximums mentioned in the last point are available at boston.gov/sites/default/…

Developer now up

Transit locus

Nearby Open Space
Clementine Park
Shawmut Gardens MBTA raised beds
Rev Loesch Park/Cronin Playground
Doherty Gibson Park
Codman Square Park
Nightingale Community Garden
and the Dorchester Greenway on MBTA tunnel cap (design & bid funding approved)

Exceptionally well located for housing.

Noe that the project has been a very long time in the making. Dozens of community meetings, zoom meetings, kitchen table meetings. This process has made for a better project and where we are today.

Existing conditions, including ledge that has been accounted for foundation work.

Floorplan

Underground garage w trash, bike parking, 25 car spaces. This was put back in at the last minute at Rep Holmes insistence, or at least he took credit for it at the last meeting.

Facades

Patio

Inspo images for landscaping and courtyard furnishing.

Affordability Mix
30% 3-Studio 8-1BR 4-2BR 1-3BR
50% 2-S 4-1BR 2-2BR 0-3BR
60% 1-S 6-1BR 4-2BR 1-3BR
80% 3-S 8-1BR 5-2BR 0-3BR
120% 3-S 11-1BR 6-2BR 0-3BR

[Solar is being installed before move in]

End of presentation

Public Testimony begins

-- Head of Epiphany School, independent school privately funded w full scholarships for all their students. Extended school day and through summer. Outcomes are amazing. 1/3 of teachers are former students. Largest single abutter. Oppose for 3 reasons.

1 - It is not blighted property, the auto body shop is wonderful neighbors [who want to sell]
2 - No supported by any abutters or the 3 geo local civics
3- There is a easement across our parking lot, which current owners don't use. Will endanger our students, teachers, parents...

- Member of our Steering Committee & IAG member. Strong support for this project. A couple of other iterations proposed here have been opposed and not gone through. This site screams for housing and very excited to have new neighbors soon, so close to transit.

Trinity has been incredibly responsive during this process. Wished there was more housing and no parking, but realizes those adjustments were made to appease other stakeholders.

-- IAG member - Monday, Nov 13, there was gridlock and fire trucks had difficulty responding.

Tuesday, Nov 14, in the afternoon, again encountered gridlock. Cut through Epiphany's parking lot. Others will do that more. She wishes Board would understand how destructive this project is to the neighborhood. We are caught up in a development feeding frenzy.

Newcomers won't be part of the social fabric.

-- Member of our Steering Committee disappointing that yrs of organized oppo by some nearby homeowners has resulted in a significant reduction in the size. 3 stories with a setback 4th floor is underwhelming for 30 sec walk to the T

Current proposal is a prime example of infill development, creating much needed housing immediately adjacent to the MBTA’s Shawmut redline station.

Goals of building near transit & other amenities is the strengthening of sustainable, walkable neighborhoods that also have full access to jobs, services, and amenities citywide.

Critical of Rep Holmes overruling the professionals in City Hall, traffic engineers & planners.

-- Rep Holmes up next, feels he has gotten to a point where 7 out of 10 people can support this. We have folks who want no parking and folks who want all the parking. He has listened to everyone and believes this a good compromise.

-- IAG member supports the project though does understand the parking concerns. Urges BPDA to do a full parking study for the neighborhood.

-- Carpenter's Union in full support

- Abutter from Allston Street, who has not participated before this point, says there has been no outreach directly to her family and they strongly oppose.

-- Lives nearby and believes this project is worth everything they are going to build and bring to our neighborhood. People are desperate for housing. A lot of families and single individuals. He wishes it included more parking, like luxury developments do. Still supports this.

-- Lives in Roxbury, wants to support this project, has watched it evolve over years. This project should be a slam dunk in our current crisis. 100% affordable right next to transit. Has take far too long to get here. Also likes the street scape improvements.

-- Strongly in support of this project as we desperately need affordable housing in our neighborhood. Pleased that the developer has worked hard over this whole process to address folks concerns about facade and fitting into the neighborhood. This will improve the n'hood.

-- IAG Member in strong support of this project. Live 1.5 blocks away. Also for 13 years small biz owner of local bicycle shop. This project will be a small but essential contribution to helping the housing crisis and improving neighborhood by increasing density/new neighbors.

-- IAG member & DGT Steering Comm member in strong support. Thanks BPDA for leading us through this process. This is a much higher and better use for this parcel than an auto body shop. Twin crisis of housing and climate - if we can't build something like this here, where can we?

-- Strong support. Addresses soaring living costs. Concerned his children when they grow won't be able to stay. Knows Trinity's work and they are local and trustworthy. Perfectly sited near transit. More residents near Shawmut will increase public safety, an added benefit.

This has the potential to make Dot a more inclusive, safe, and thriving place for all.

-- Lives near Ashmont Trinity projects and has had a lot of experience working with them in the community. In strong support. Things like this will help ease our housing process.

Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

-- Abutter who supports housing on this lot, but not this proposal. Our concerns have not been responded to. Concerned about noise, vibration, pest control, and more; fire safety -- says firefighters told her it would be dangerous

to have no direct access from the west; her fence is actually encroaching on the auto body parcel and she dislikes that they will put their fence on the property line. Wants to work with a developer who will listen to community concerns.

-- Nearby resident speaking in strongest possible support for this project. Appreciates the developers willingness to the community's concerns, maybe not perfect, but this is a great project. A lot of the voices have been tilted to homeowners, with renters less able to attend.

Disappointed the project has been cut over time, but hopes it will be a precedent project for similar proposals elsewhere in the City.

-- Strong support. Filed comment and wrote LTE. In short: We need housing, as much, as soon as possible, as we can build. We have people

living in hotels, living on the street. Hopes we can lead on the housing crisis, especially in this TOD/green thoughtful project.
-- Excited to see this built. In her 26 years has seen a stark reduction in rental properties. Also current undersupply of housing appropriate for

hourly wage workers who work here to live here too.

-- Speaking in strong support. Doesn't get to SMACA mtgs much, bc 2 small kids. Never spoken in BPDA mtg before, but if this doesn't get approved, what will? I wish it were bigger, its not perfect, but we have to move forward.

It is immediately next to the T and more residents should be able to live near transit to be able to access the city as the whole. It shouldn't be an amenity close only to the wealthy.

-- IAG member (renter) in full support. We need more affordable housing;

we have a displacement crisis. We need to do neighborhood planning, but in the meantime, we need to make sure projects like this get approved.
-- IAG member not in support of the project, though does support affordable housing, both rental and homeownership. Thinks site too small

Upset about the process over the last 5/6 years. Has created enemies in the neighborhood. Long term neighbors have tried to keep the n'hood together through the thick & thin. This is not the right proposal for this site. Supports affordable housing generally.

-- Opposes this, and rejects folks saying if you support housing we need to support this. Brings up the Build Together Shawmut unviable counter-proposal that envisions Epiphany buying the parcel and building bw 20-27 condos and later and Epiphany expansion.

He questions why there are so many supportive voices on this call, that opposition voices are not being called on [they are taking comments in the order the hands were raised.]

-- Next speaker in strong support. Breaks down the context that the Build Together Shawmut people have passed out materials/yard signs/promoted their alternative vision, while never acknowledging that they have no right to proceed. She does not know how much this deceptive

framing by those who are trying to gather opposition has created opposition because people think it is a choice between A or B when it is not. Please keep the way they have explained it to folks in balancing the opposition. [not quite right, but that was her sentiment]

-- IAG member in opposition. This is a neighborhood of 1/2/3F homes, there are no large boxes here. [There is an apartment building directly across on Centre St]. Reviews all the civic associations and civic volunteer groups are in opposition.

-- Resident in opposition. It is entirely too large.
-- Objects that this is all rentals, cash cow for the developer, but not good for the neighborhood. The alternative the Build Together Shawmut people want is homeownership, more appropriate. And we have 1000 signatures in oppo

Also says if it is approved, there will be litigation, the neighbors will sue to stop it.
-- Allston resident whose neighborhood has been destroyed by BPDA/Harvard development of projects like this. Watch out what you let them build. You won't recognize where you have lived 20yrs

-- This is all rentals and rentals are not good for the neighborhood. We are a neighborhood of 1/2/3F homes. Those bring in families. Something like this won't be occupied by families devoted to the community.

END of public comment.

Trinity offered rebuttal for anything in particular, they pass.

Now on to questions from the BPDA Board.

Mr. Miller: Would you please review the community engagement and the process here? Some have claimed there was insufficient responsiveness.

Mr. Lozano reviews all of the IAG and public meetings and the doorknocking, sidewalk conversations, etc.

Mr. Shepard: Understand this parcel has been under discussion for 6-8 years. Can you talk about your original size/unit count/parking? How has this changed over the years?

Mr. Lozano: The initial proposal was about 90 units at 5 stories. At one point there were up to 48 parking spots, then reduced, then the City made very clear they did not want any. The 25 spaces in this final proposal came back recently.

Mr. Shepard's followup: Can you talk abt interaction with Centre St, light, streetscape improvements?
Mr. Lozano reviews all ped/traffic safety & streetscape improvements that will benefit entire neighborhood. Improvements to nearby Clementine Park. Will do more w T if allowed.

Dr. Landsdown: Was home ownership on some or part of this parcel ever considered?
Mr. Lozano: Yes, when we had more height/more units, we had a mix of condos and rentals, but as we lost size, that was no longer economically feasible.

Chair Rojas: Turns to reviewing the Affirmatively Facilitating Fair Housing report.
Mr. Lozano notes the evolution over time of this (the third) proposal from ~60% income restricted to now 100% income-restricted, which isn't easy but they are glad they were able to get there.

Deep levels of affordability. This came out, in part, of the AFFH review process.

Chair Rojas asks for clarification of the comments speaking to an "alternate proposal."

Ms. Coppinger (BPDA) speaks to that, that this was a private sale of private land, not City/BPDA land.

BPDA has no regulatory authority over private sales or authority to review a project proposed by anyone who does not have site control. The alternative referred to is not a live possibility and not before you.
Chair: Ok, that's what I thought.

Chair asks them to review w some additional particularity how this project is doing things to make traffic/multi-modal safety better. Lozano gets more granular re speed humps/bump outs/daylighting/new signage and striping. We can't fix all Dot Ave traffic, but think we will help.

Chair, bf we go on to a vote, I want to say: "You have delivered us a project aligned with our values of affordability, resiliency and equity. I want to acknowledge and thank you for that." This is in line with our values/plans/priorities & we hope surrounding communities step up

Personally, she wishes it was larger, creating more homes, but understands it has been a long process getting here.

We've also heard from and acknowledge folks who feel like they weren't listened to or didn't get the modifications they wanted. Chair encourages the developer, both during construction and beyond, to keep lines of communication open and info flowing, be accessible.
A: Of course

I missed who moved & 2nded the ? but ...

🎉UNANIMOUS APPROVAL🎉

They're going to🏗️ 72 new TOD homes!!!

#legalizehousing #zoningreform
[it shouldn't be this hard]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who spoke up in support of growth and new neighbors!

/fin

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