Worcester Councilors Move 'Inclusionary Zoning' Proposal Forward

Worcester MA

19 July, 2022

7:07 PM

Description

WORCESTER, MA — A Worcester City Council subcommittee has moved forward a proposal to create an inclusionary zoning policy in the city — a way to guarantee affordable housing grows as new apartment buildings rise across the city. The Economic Development subcommittee at a meeting Tuesday asked the city manager's office to create a draft inclusionary zoning — or IZ — policy for possible approval by the larger Worcester City Council. At the urging of the Worcester Together Affordable Housing Coalition, former city manager Ed Augustus Jr. sent a first draft of the IZ policy to councilors in May. That proposal called for any new development with 12 or more units to set aside either 15 percent of "habitable square footage" as affordable for any household earning less than 80 percent of the area median income; or 10 percent of the habitable square footage for any household earning less than 60 percent of the area median income. Many recent development proposals in Worcester — including three new buildings proposed or under construction near Polar Park — contain only "market rate" units. In other words, apartments that cost as much as the market will bear, and not necessarily affordable for many local residents. Gina Plata-Nino, chair of the Worcester Together Affordable Housing Coalition, said the group would prefer to see Worcester's policy include an area median income requirement at 60 percent across the board. That would make new apartments affordable for people who are earning around minimum wage, she said. "We're seeing rates that are Boston prices without Boston [pay] rates," she said during Tuesday's meeting about rising rents in Worcester. District 1 Councilor Sean Rose highlighted that only about 13.5 percent of Worcester's housing stock is considered "affordable." New market rate apartments coming online will likely dilute that further, he said. Nobody spoke explicitly against the IZ proposal on Tuesday, but some offered suggestions. The Worcester Chamber of Commerce asked for the policy to include incentives for developers to create affordable housing. One resident asked the city to include a requirement for handicap accessible affordable units. Committee members Rose, At-Large Councilor Khrystian King, and District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera all said they supported the idea, and want to see an ordinance soon. Inclusionary zoning provides "gentrification mitigation," King said.