Peter Hechenbleikner

1. The Reading Experience
Planning and Affordable Housing
Peter Hechenbleikner, Retired Town Manager, Reading,
June 5, 2014

2. Reading, MA
ABOUT READING
• 12 miles north of Boston
• Largely white-collar
• Increasing home values; low crime
• High rates of homeownership (81.2%)
• Well educated (1/2 of residents a four-year college degree)
• Excellent public schools - better than 98% of all U.S., better
than 87% of schools in MA.
2
CNBC 2012 poll
Ranked Reading in the
top 10 “most perfect
suburbs”
Best mix of affordable
housing, good schools,
educated neighbors,
low crime, employment,
and reasonable
commute

3. Beacon Court 40B
Example of difficult site
conditions
3
Experience with “less than optimal” 40B
developments & other zoning efforts
Greystone 40B
Example of poorly located
affordable housing
Downtown mixed
use zoning – unrealistic
and unreasonable standards
and restrictions, by special
permit – nothing built

4. Milestones – Affordable Housing
4
• 2003 - only 9% of cities and towns met 10% affordability
criterion of. Chapter 40B.
• Reading was in the majority
2000 404 units of affordable housing 4.6%
2005 675 units of affordable housing 6.2%
2010 685 units of affordable housing 7%
2012 817 units of affordable housing 8.52%
2012 817 units of affordable housing 7.15% (re-set
because of
census)

5. Current SHI
Census 2010 Total Housing Units 9,584
Total SHI 685
Current % Subsidized 7.15
Projected SHI Units by Project
ü 30 Haven - Oaktree 11
ü Reading Woods 43
ü Johnson Woods I 17
ü Johnson Woods II 19
MF Charles 3
45 Beacon Street (40B) 3
Peter Sanborn Place (LIP) 47
Current + Projected 828
Future % SHI 8.64
Additional Units Needed 130
Total SHI Needed 958
% Subsidized 10
The Reading housing plan will need to
demonstrate the development of 48 units
(0.5%) per year
A total of 143 units in the queue to
be on the SHI in the next few
years
Need 130 more units to reach 10%
5
Outlook Beyond 2012

6. Planning for Affordable Housing
Smart Growth (40R) Zoning Incentives:
Ø 2 Smart Growth (40R) Districts;
Other Zoning Incentives:
Ø Planned Unit Districts (PUD-R);
Ø Planned Residential Districts (PRD);
6

7. Planning Initiatives
In addition to and supplementing 40R Smart Growth zoning:
Ø Housing Production Plan;
Ø Regional Housing Services (DLTA);
Ø Regional Mapping Project – highlighting priority
development and preservation areas
Ø Asking for more affordable housing from developers;
Ø Encouraging friendly 40B’s (two pending);
Ø Supporting non-profit affordable housing developers.
7

8. PUD-­‐R
and
Local
Ini0a0ve
Program
(LIP)
Johnson Woods, Phase I
• 166 total units
• 17 affordable units (10%)
Johnson Woods, Phase II
• 127 new units (under
construction),
• 19 affordable units (15%).
8

9. Reading’s Commitment to
Affordable Housing
In March 2011, MassHousing rejected a 40B proposal
“Reading
has
made
a
good-­‐faith
effort
to
increase
its
affordable
housing
stock,
most
notably
by
approving
two
Smart
Growth
Overlay
Zoning
Districts
under
Chapter
40R”
“the
parcel
of
land
already
included
two
exisEng
homes
that
fit
in
well
with
the
paGern
of
development
in
the
surrounding
neighborhood”…and
to
“replace
the
exisEng
homes
with
20
new
units
of
housing,
especially
in
the
context
of
a
constrained
site
plan,
was
in
our
opinion
ill-­‐advised”

10. 40R Smart Growth Zoning
Downtown 40R Smart
Growth District - 2009
• Creates 256 potential housing
units within 26 acres
• 53 units recently completed
(20% affordable)
Gateway 40R Smart
Growth District - 2007
• Created 202 housing units
• 43 affordable units completed
(25% +1)
458 Total Units By Right
10

11. Smart Growth - Affordable Housing
Oaktree
–
30
Haven
Street
Reading
Woods
–
1
Jacob
Way
Downtown Smart Growth District
Oaktree Development
53 units built – 11 affordable units
Gateway Smart Growth District
Reading Woods
202 units built - 43 affordable
units
11

12. 30 Haven Street (DSG)
Transit oriented
12

13. 30 Haven Street (DSG)
Mixed Use
13

14. 14
Fits within the downtown fabric

15. 30 Haven Street (DSG)
15
Who lives there?

16. 30 Haven Street (DSG)
16
24.5%
of
the
units
have
children 12
children
total
30%
of
the
units
have
pets 15
pets
total
10
dogs
&
5
cats
Cars
7%
or
4
of
the
units
don't
have
cars
Including
27%
of
the
affordable
units
(3
out
of
11)
don't
have
cars
22%
or
11
of
the
total
units
have
2
cars

17. Planned
Addi0onal
DSG
MF Charles Building – Downtown Smart Growth 40R
• Phased Mixed Use – Historic Rehab
• Local developer will add up to14 future residential units
• Will add 3 affordable units
17

18. Downtown Smart Growth
What makes it work?
• Design Guidelines give the community some control
• “As of Right” gives the developer some certainty
• Presence of downtown parking for the commercial
aspects
• Underground parking meets resident parking demand
• Redevelopment gave us the opportunity
• Lots of process
18

19. Downtown Smart Growth
What does the community get out of it?
• Provision of affordable housing with some level of local
control
• Support for economic development broadly – jobs cannot
grow without housing for workers
• Offers another housing alternative
• Sustainability model of development – less cars on the
roads, ability to walk to work/mass transit
• Community vibrancy and sense of place
• Enhances the community reputation as a great place to
live, work, and play
19

20. Population Trends –
Ø expected 54% increase in the 60+ age group
from 2010 to 2020;
SHI Regulations –
Ø only received credit for 11 of the 53 rental units at
the Oaktree Development (DSG) since Reading’s
DSG 40R zoning requires only 20% affordable
Ø DHCD regulations require 25% affordability for full
credit of all rental units.
Ø DHCD intends to (has?) clarify this in the future for
potential 40R communities.
20
Challenges and Opportunities

21. Managing Development
Ø balance development and preservation.
Ø DLTA Regional Mapping project - aid in guiding
development
Friendly 40B’s
Ø could generate additional units, positive for SHI
but need to be aware of other impacts
Managing Responsibilities for Existing
Affordable Housing Stock
Ø Regional approach
21
Challenges and Opportunities
(continued)