How Medford Is Working To Expand Affordable Housing

MEDFORD, MA — The City of Medford has provided an update on how it continues to work toward expanding affordable housing.

According to the Mayor’s office and City of Medford’s Office of Planning, Development and Sustainability, the city continues to evaluate the 40B projects that have been granted Project Eligibility by MassHousing and work to appeal its “Safe Harbor” status.

Here is a brief overview of the project history and recent updates provided by city officials.

Project History

In March 2020, after receiving three consecutive 40B applications totaling over 1,000 units, the Medford Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) claimed safe harbor status, which if established gives the city more permitting authority over 40B applications.

A community is eligible for safe harbor from Chapter 40B if 10 percent of its year-round housing qualifies as Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) eligible and/or 1.5 percent of the total land area of the municipality zoned for residential, commercial or industrial use is comprised of SHI eligible housing.

The Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) initially determined that Medford does not meet the required threshold of land area dedicated to SHI qualified housing. The city is appealing the decision and the case is currently being heard by the State of Massachusetts Housing Appeals Court (HAC).

Until a decision is reached by the HAC, the 40B applications are on hold. However, while the appeal case proceeds, the city has maintained contact with the 40B applicants and continues to encourage project modifications to address any concerns.

Recent Updates

Mill Creek, which originally proposed a 400-unit multi-family building at 4000 Mystic Valley Parkway, has proposed significant project changes, including a reduction in total units to 350, redesign of the building’s exterior, and the inclusion of ground floor commercial.

The Medford ZBA considered these changes at a recent board meeting and voted to agree to remand the project application back to the ZBA for public hearing and review.

“Medford, like every other community across Massachusetts, is feeling the impacts of the housing crisis, and we have been working hard to create more housing – especially affordable housing – that also fits within our community’s broader needs,” Alicia Hunt, Director of the Office of Planning, Development, and Sustainability, said in a statement. "I am thrilled and thankful that all five members of the ZBA are willing to reconsider this project, and also thankful to Mill Creek for working with us to move the project forward. We look forward to hearing from the community at large on this project as we continue to address housing needs across our city."

According to the city, the Mill Creek project will include 25 percent affordable units with no public subsidies and the parties are evaluating possibilities to increase the number of units at lower levels of affordability under 40B.

In addition, Mill Creek will propose to include further sustainable design improvements to the project, including providing traffic mitigation measures. The developer is also considering improvements to a City-owned open space parcel directly adjacent to the project.

After filing an updated application with the city for the revised project, the Mill Creek project will be subject to a public hearing process, which will include the participation of Medford residents and technical review by third party experts.

Medford officials said they will continue to engage with the two other 40B applicants, Davis Company and Combined Properties, and remain open to alternative proposals from each that address any concerns.

Other Affordable Housing Efforts

Medford also continues to work toward addressing its affordable housing supply through means other than the 40B comprehensive permit process. The city’s ongoing Comprehensive Plan includes housing as a focus area and will be making recommendations supported by action steps for 30-year goals. A final draft Housing Production Plan outlining goals and strategies for addressing more immediate housing needs has also been developed and has been submitted to City Council for review and approval.

The city is also working with the Medford Housing Authority and other mission-driven developers to bring more affordable units to Medford across the city at a wider range of affordability levels than are provided under 40B.

“Increasing the availability of affordable housing, and housing in general, is a major focus of my administration and the City’s planning department,” Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn said in a statement. “The initial work we did in early 2020 to assert safe harbor status, which took many departments expertise in order to get done in time, has given the city the ability to bring our 40B developers to the negotiating table in order to make sure we are working towards our goals and needs/what works for Medford and our neighborhoods.”

To provide thoughts and comments on the proposed projects, email ocd@medford-ma.gov or call 781-393-2480.