波士頓擬調整住宅開發規定 放寬可負擔住宅門檻 批准六開發案增建657戶住宅

 （Boston Orange編譯）波士頓市府規劃部門12日建議調整可負擔住宅及大型開發案收費規定，以因應房地產市場不景氣，減輕開發商資金壓力。當天另有六項開發案獲准推進，將新增657戶住宅，其中187戶為收入限制住宅，並可創造約744個建築工作及89個長期職位。

調整住宅規定　分期付款增至七期

波士頓市府建議修改「包容性分區」（Inclusionary Zoning）規定，提出四項調整：可負擔住宅替代繳款的付款期數，由兩期增加至七期；原規定在開發地點0.5英里範圍內興建異地住宅的限制，改由市府住房局（MOH）政策管理，增加彈性；公寓大樓以繳款代替興建可負擔住宅的費用，由市場價與收入限制住宅價差的75%降至50%；適用規定的開發案門檻，則由至少七戶提高至十戶。

市府表示，調整可協助部分住宅開發案繼續推進，同時透過相關繳款支持市府可負擔住宅計畫。建議案將送波士頓市議會審議，最後仍須經分區委員會核准。

大型開發連結費明年凍漲

市府也建議2027年維持大型開發案的「開發連結費」（Linkage）不變，並將付款期數由兩期延長至七期。

目前實驗室開發案每平方英尺收取30.78元，其他商業用途每平方英尺23.09元。款項中16%用於就業培訓，84%投入可負擔住宅的興建及保存。依現行法律，費用原定明年1月隨通膨自動調漲4%，但市府建議暫緩調漲。

市府指出，建築成本高、利率居高不下，加上聯邦財政及貿易政策前景不明，增加開發商負擔。延長付款期限可減輕前期融資壓力，同時維持住宅及就業培訓資金來源。這項建議也須經分區委員會最後核准。

六項開發案新增657戶住宅

當天獲准的六項開發案總面積約77萬3961平方英尺，主要包括：

• 140 Providence Street（Back Bay）：將11層辦公大樓改建為476戶住宅，其中95戶為收入限制住宅，是市長吳弭2023年推出辦公室改住宅計畫以來，規模最大的單一改建案。工程預計創造559個建築工作及59個長期職位。

• 329 Blue Hill Avenue（Roxbury）：整合四塊閒置土地，興建五層混合用途大樓，提供40戶全數受收入限制的住宅，其中30%優先提供曾經無家可歸者使用。

• 587-595 Washington Street（Dorchester）：在Codman Square興建混合用途大樓，提供41戶收入限制住宅，並設置辦公空間，供Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation使用。

• 105 Beach Street（Leather District）：將五層商業大樓改建為15戶住宅，其中3戶為收入限制住宅，原有的Figaro's三明治店將繼續營業。

• 1576 Blue Hill Avenue（Mattapan）：興建六層混合用途大樓，提供57戶住宅，其中8戶為收入限制住宅，並設有地面層商業空間。

• 1214 Bennington Street（East Boston）：翻修現有辦公大樓並增建，改為28戶住宅，鄰近MBTA Suffolk Downs站，並增設商業空間。

委員會也批准41 Berkeley Street原核准開發案的修改，將原本包含自有住宅、出租住宅及輔助生活設施的混合用途計畫，改為約312戶全出租住宅，並在一樓設置3000平方英尺社區空間。新英格蘭音樂學院（New England Conservatory）的機構總體計畫，也獲准續約並延長兩年。

市府表示，六項新開發案將透過住宅供應、可負擔住宅及商業空間，支持波士頓各社區發展。

PLANNING ADVANCES AMENDMENTS TO LINKAGE AND INCLUSIONARY ZONING

BOSTON – Thursday, November 12, 2026 – The Planning Department this month recommended updates to Linkage and Inclusionary Zoning to support housing and commercial development. The Department also recommended approval of six new development projects representing approximately 773,961 square feet (SF). All were approved. The newly approved development proposals will create 657 new homes, including 187 that are designated income-restricted, and will support approximately 744 construction jobs and 89 permanent jobs. The projects advanced today will help make Boston a more resilient, affordable, and equitable city. Planning & Zoning Staff recommend amendments to Inclusionary Zoning to support housing development  Based on the economic headwinds facing housing developers, staff proposed four key changes to Inclusionary Zoning. The amendments would: extend the payment schedule for affordable housing payments from two installments to seven installments; make the 0.5 mile radius for off-site units MOH policy instead of zoning, providing flexibility to create IZ units in impactful projects in a wider geographic area; reduce the condominium payment-in-lieu fee from 75 percent to 50 percent of the difference between market-rate and income-restricted unit values; and raise the threshold for projects subject to Inclusionary Zoning from seven to ten units. These adjustments would help some residential developments move forward, while raising revenue for City-supported affordable housing developments. This recommendation will now go before the Boston City Council for consideration and will need final approval by the Zoning Commission. Staff recommend no increase in Linkage fees for 2027, extension of payment schedule Based on current economic trends, the Planning Department is recommending that Linkage fees remain unchanged for 2027, and that the payment schedule be extended from two installments to seven. Commercial and institutional developers of large projects pay Linkage fees to ensure that large-scale real estate development brings direct benefits to Boston’s residents in the form of affordable housing and workforce training. The total Linkage fee is $30.78 per square foot for lab space, and $23.09 for other commercial uses. Sixteen percent of the fees support job training and job preparedness programs, and 84 percent support the creation and preservation of affordable housing. These fees would increase by 4 percent in January based on the enabling legislation which schedules an automatic increase each year relative to inflation. The recommendation to override the Linkage increase and extend the payment schedule is based on a number of factors including: high construction costs, high interest rates, and an uncertain economic climate with regard to the country’s fiscal and trade policies. Commercial developments would continue to contribute funding for affordable housing and job training, but would have additional time to make those payments, easing upfront financing pressures. This recommendation will now need final approval by the Zoning Commission. Real Estate RFP advances for Shipyard Park Activation Staff will be releasing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for an operator at Shipyard Park in the Charlestown Navy Yard. The current operator’s license will expire in February. The criteria of the RFP, which were determined in collaboration with the Charlestown community, are that a proposal should: enhance enjoyment of the waterfront, educate the public about the history of the Charlestown Navy Yard and Boston Harbor, create a welcoming environment for all different kinds of people and Boston residents, and support local artists or entrepreneurs.  Development Projects Largest office conversion project to-date at 140 Providence Street moves forward with 476 units Housing: 476 residential units, 95 income-restricted units Jobs: Approximately 559 construction jobs, approximately 59 permanent jobs Community: New residents in the Back Bay Sustainability: Adaptive reuse of existing building Located in Back Bay, this project would convert 11 stories of an office building to 476 new homes, 95 of which would be income-restricted. The building will retain existing restaurant space and expand its retail space in the its basement. This project is one of 28 applicants to Mayor Wu’s successful Office-to-Residential Conversion Program which is on track to convert 35 buildings and 2.1 million square feet of empty office space into more than 2,420 new homes. This would be the largest conversion of an office building to housing in the program since its launch in 2023. Project at 329 Blue Hill Avenue to build income-restricted housing Housing: 40 income-restricted units Jobs: Approximately 46 construction jobs Community: Community room, flex space Sustainability: LEED Gold, all efficient electric systems, BERDO zero carbon emissions limit Located in Roxbury, this project will convert four vacant lots into one lot with a five-story mixed-used building. All 40 housing units will be income-restricted, and 30 percent of the units will be designated with a preference for formerly homeless individuals. The project responds to the community vision as outlined in the Blue Hill Avenue Action Plan. As part of the mitigation for this project, it will widen sidewalks on Blue Hill Avenue and Gaston Street. In addition, four street trees will be planted on and around the site.  587-595 Washington Street a.k.a. On the Square project will bring new offices, income-restricted housing to Dorchester Housing: 41 income-restricted units Jobs: New retail space, approximately 55 construction jobs, approximately 21 permanent jobs Community: Improved home for Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation offices Sustainability: LEED Gold, Net Zero Carbon, Passive House, solar panels Located in Dorchester, this project will construct a mixed-use building including offices and 41 new income-restricted homes in Codman Square. These units will be a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedrooms. The office space will be home to the Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation.  105 Beach Street project to convert office building to homes in the Leather District Housing: 15 residential units, three income-restricted units Jobs: Approximately 15 construction jobs Community: New residents Downtown Sustainability: Adaptive reuse of existing building This project will convert a five-story commercial building into 15 homes in the Leather District. The first floor will retain its longstanding tenant, Figaro’s sandwich shop. This project is one of 28 applicants to Mayor Wu’s successful Office-to-Residential Conversion Program, which is on track to convert 35 buildings and 2.1 million square feet of empty office space into more than 2,420 new homes since its launch in 2023. Project at 1576 Blue Hill Avenue to build new housing in Mattapan Housing: 57 residential units, eight income-restricted units Jobs: Approximately 41 construction jobs, retail space Community: Public realm improvements Sustainability: Net Zero Carbon building, all efficient electric systems This project will bring 57 new homes to Mattapan through the construction of a new six-story, mixed-used building. The units will be a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. There will also be retail space on the ground floor. This project site falls within the bounds of PLAN: Mattapan and complies with Squares + Streets zoning. Residents will have access to outdoor amenity space and bike parking. The project has committed to planting new street trees and contributing $16,300 to the Boston Transportation Department in support of the bikeshare system.  New housing to be built at 1214 Bennington Street in East Boston Housing: 28 residential units Jobs: New retail space, approximately 28 construction jobs Community: Public realm improvements Sustainability: EV parking, preservation of existing trees Current office buildings will be renovated and given an addition to become 28 new homes in East Boston. This is a transit-oriented development as it is in close proximity to the Suffolk Downs MBTA station. The project is compliant with PLAN: East Boston which recommends adding more multi-family housing in this area and envisions Bennington Street as a major connective corridor. As part of the mitigation for this project, it will widen sidewalks in the vicinity and add new street trees. This project will also contribute $7,700 to the Boston Transportation Department in support of the bikeshare system.  In addition to these projects, the Board approved: An update to a previously approved project at 41 Berkeley Street to change the programming of the project from mixed-use to all rental housing. The originally approved project consisted of one homeownership building, one rental, and one assisted living facility. These will now all include rental housing totaling approximately 312 units, along with a 3,000 square foot community space on the ground floor. The renewal and two-year extension of the New England Conservatory Institutional Master Plan.