Cohousing-L Mailing List: Concessions for Affordability

[R Philip Dowds (rpdowds]

Folks —

The City of Cambridge has something called "inclusionary zoning", which 
stipulates that all "large", private residential developments must include 
"affordable" dwelling units made available to the City for below-market housing 
controlled by the City.  I have no problem with this; in fact, I was one of the 
citizen activists promoting the idea 15 years ago.

Interestingly enough, Cornerstone Cohousing was the first private development 
to be captured by inclusionary zoning, and now has 4 affordable units as a 
permanent part of its 32-unit mix.  The details of how all this works are not 
important here.  What we're trying to figure out is, Should assessments on the 
affordable units be discounted, relative to the assessments on the market rate 
units?  So my questions are ...

Do you have a comparable program of subsidized units in your coho community?  
And, if so ...
What consideration in assessments, or other requirements, do you extend to 
"affordable" units, such that they remain "affordable", and that your community 
thus supports economic diversity?

R Philip Dowds AIA
Cornerstone Cohousing
175 Harvey Street, Unit 5
Cambridge, MA 02140
617.354.6094