Residents express mixed feelings over proposed affordable housing developments

The Waltham Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) voted to extend the public hearing process for two proposed apartment complexes last Tuesday, after hearing both praise and concern from residents and city officials.

The projects were proposed through Chapter 40B, a state statute aimed at increasing affordable housing.

Chapter 40B allows developers to circumvent local zoning regulations for housing developments if 20 to 25% of units are affordable,  defined as one that is at or below 30% of a household’s income.

If approved, The West Main Apartments would be located at 1362 Main St. The complex would consist of 369 residential units. Ninety-two units would be affordable for households making up to 80% of the area’s median income (AMI).

The West Main Apartments complex was originally proposed to the ZBA on Jan. 7 by Willow Bridge Property Co., the project’s developer. The ZBA voted at that meeting to extend the public hearing process to Feb. 6.

The other 40B project, presented to the ZBA by the Davis Companies on Tuesday, would be located at 455 Totten Pond Rd. The Residences on Winter would include 315 residential units. Seventy-nine units would be affordable for residents making up to 80% of the AMI.

Fire department expresses concerns

During the meeting, Richard Grant, Waltham’s Deputy Chief of Fire Prevention, said that the Fire Department had concerns about the type of construction material that would be used in these projects.

Both of the buildings’ interior framing would be made of wood. Grant said this could make the sites susceptible to “rapid fire spread” during construction. 

Grant also said the proposed projects would be located in areas that already include other large 40B apartment complexes such as The Point at 341 Second Avenue, Alexan Waltham at 73 Pond St, and The 305 at 305 Winter St.

He explained that the Fire Department believed that adding other large apartment complexes to the area could negatively affect response times for residents.

Grant said the Fire Department requested that the ZBA include requests that the developers include funds for a new fire engine and support vehicles that could service the apartment building as a part of their application for a permit with the ZBA.

He expressed that these requests were not atypical, as the Alliance Residential Company, the developer of The 305, gave funds to the fire department for a new ladder truck as a part of their permit.

ZBA presses for greater affordability 

Multiple members of the ZBA were concerned about these proposed developments.

“In the past, we’ve required other 40Bs to have units at 60% AMI,” said ZBA member Sarah Hankins, who explained that she was not in favor of a 40B project with units only catering to households making 80% of the area median income.

Matthew Deveaux, the clerk of the ZBA, also stated that he would not support a 40B project without units for lower-income residents. He also said he was worried that approving another large housing development would put a strain on the school system.

“We’re already bursting at the seams, and we need to build more schools,” said Deveaux.

Some residents pushed back against some of these sentiments made by ZBA members.

“Truly the worst thing you can do for affordability is say no, and delay housing,” said Tom Benavides, a Waltham Resident.

Daniel Semeniuta, another resident, said that building a housing development on a vacant lot could add to the city’s property taxes, and bring more money to public schools.