Woburn Housing: City Lacks 500 Affordable Units

WOBURN, MA—Woburn is still 500 affordable housing units away from meeting the Commonwealth’s Chapter 40B threshold for affordable housing in the city.

Woburn Planning Director Tina Cassidy compiled and presented housing data in a memo to City Council Wednesday detailing that just seven percent of the city’s housing is affordable, according to a report by The Daily Times Chronicle. The figures showed that just 1,150 units out of 16,324 are categorized as affordable housing.

Reports Gordon Vincent, who broke the story on The Daily Times Chronicle’s website:

The council’s Ordinances, Charter & Rules Committee last week asked Cassidy to file a report with affordable housing figures, as the council deliberates passage of changes to the city’s affordable housing ordinance that would eliminate a section that allows developers to buy out the affordable component of their residential projects.

The city for the last 12 years has been slowly losing ground to the 10 percent ratio, starting at 9.7 percent in 2004, with a gradual reduction to 7 percent this year.

“It is important for the city to attain (and then maintain) the goal of having at least 10 percent of its housing units meet the state’s definition of ‘affordable,’” wrote Cassidy. “First, many of Woburn’s residents need housing that is affordable and could conceivably benefit if more affordable housing units (particularly for seniors and those with disabilities) were available.

“Second, attaining and maintaining at least the 10 percent mark will mean Woburn will no longer be subject to so-called ‘unfriendly’ 40B development applications,” she added.

Developers can bypass most local zoning controls by filing for a compressive permit with the state. The most notorious 40B filing in Woburn’s history occurred about a dozen years ago when a developer proposed to build as many as 640 apartments in the Whispering Hill section of West Woburn. The city won a long legal battle, eventually bought the land from Northeastern University and converted a portion of the property to an athletic field.

The memo reported that as of Nov. 10, just 24 units out of 463 divided amongst 12 pending development projects will be designated as affordable. Council President Richard Haggerty said the Planning Board will discuss the matter at a meeting on Tuesday, and a recommendation may be made.

Woburn Patch attempted to contact Cassidy regarding her memo, but she was not immediately available for comment. Check back with Woburn Patch for updates.