For generations, triple-deckers were a reliable housing option for working families.
But today, Boston’s zoning laws make it difficult to build them.
As the region grapples with the current housing crisis, Boston City Councilor Henry Santana thinks it’s time to change that.
“They’re already part of the fabric of most of our neighborhoods here in the city of Boston,” Santana said.
Santana believes adding more of these locally iconic buildings could help alleviate the shortage of affordable housing.“It’s about keeping families, residents, young professionals, our immigrant families, working-class people here in the city of Boston for generations to come,” Santana said.
Historically, triple-deckers were the way many people broke into the housing market, but amendments to the city’s zoning laws cooled that trend.
The result is that many residential areas of Boston restrict buildings over two and a half stories.
Building taller today requires a zoning variance, which can be a lengthy and expensive process.
Santana has filed a proposal to change that.
“We have very outdated zoning laws in Boston, and I think it’s a big contribution to the housing crisis that we’re seeing,” Santana explained.
Jesse Kanson-Benanav, executive director of Abundant Housing Massachusetts, an advocacy group focused on increasing the supply of housing statewide, said, “Zoning is a really important piece of the puzzle because it determines what type of home can be built where.”
He says Massachusetts is far behind when it comes to building the housing needed in the state.
