Posted on June 22, 2016
(On June 15, 2016, MHP Executive Director Clark Ziegler presented the Town of Needham with a Housing Hero Award. His presentation and Needham Economic Development Director Devra Bailin's acceptance remarks tell the story. Bailin's remarks begin at 5:00).
Like death and taxes, there are two things we are certain about when it comes to understanding Massachusetts:
1. It’s a home rule state.
2. Town Meeting voters are wicked smart.
Given these realities, communities that want to increase their housing supply need to make a solid case. This spring, the Town of Needham did just that.
What Needham did was convince town meeting voters to approve a zoning change that would allow up to 250 apartments to be built in a red-hot Rt. 128 commercial zone known as Needham Crossing.
The town did this even though its supply of affordable housing had gone over 10 percent the year before. Voters didn’t have to do this. They had already achieved safe harbor from Ch. 40B.
How did Needham do it? By making the case that planning for multi-family housing is the best way to ensure future economic development.
The town had already seen this happen in an adjacent commercial area where a zoning change led to the 350-unit Charles River Landing, which was followed by TripAdvisor building its national headquarters, which was followed by the approval of a mixed-use project that will put 390 apartments within a stone’s throw of TripAdvisor.
A look inside TripAdvisor's stunning Needham HQ.
To make the case for new housing and future economic success, Needham officials met with businesses, land owners and residents. It then used a grant from MHP to hire a consultant to review the potential fiscal impacts and modify the zoning proposal accordingly.
The consultant estimated that 250 apartments would produce a net financial benefit to the town of $350,000 per year and that by requiring that 12 percent of the units be affordable, Needham’s supply of affordable housing would remain over 10 percent.
This final, forward-looking zoning change was endorsed by the town’s Council of Economic Advisors, the planning board and sent onto Town Meeting by the Board of Selectmen.
Needham's Devra Bailin speaks after receiving award from MHP's Clark Ziegler.
At town meeting, economic development director Devra Bailin explained in detail how 250 units would be a positive for the town and concluded her presentation by saying:
“Providing sufficient multi-family housing for workers or seniors downsizing is necessary for the continuing development of our economic engine at Needham Crossing. Town Meeting has been supportive of the flexible zoning needed to incent businesses to locate here. This is the next step.”
Needham took that next step. That’s why they are Housing Heroes.
Accepting the award for the Town of Needham is Devra Bailin.
(For more information, read the Housing Hero Awards press release or this story on Needham's new overlay zone, which includes links to resources on the town web site).