March 3, 2021 3:05 pm
Boston’s Zoning Board of Appeal keeps rejecting one of the Walsh administration’s affordable housing solutions, and experts say Newton should be the model in avoiding this type of gridlock at Boston City Hall.
A string of ZBA rejections for proposed basement dwellings in East Boston and Charlestown raised eyebrows in recent months for seemingly going directly against Walsh. The outgoing mayor’s administration promotes density and includes basement residential conversions in its Additional Dwelling Unit program as ways to generate more affordable housing stock.
Christine Araujo, board chairwoman, cautioned in December that basement units could lead to overcrowding, but housing advocates argue that density is a crucial part in making Boston a more affordable place to live — that boosting supply should bring down prices.