Real Estate
03/28/25 | Liz and Ellie Local
In a historic move, the Cambridge City Council voted on February 10 to do away with single-family zoning, permitting four-story multifamily housing throughout the city. The sweeping change, which seeks to raise housing density and affordability, puts Cambridge in the company of Minneapolis, Oregon, and California, which have taken similar steps. Though the reform is a step in the right direction toward solving the housing crisis, the question remains: Will it really make housing more affordable?
Among the most important aspects of this zoning reform is the ability to construct four-story residential structures by right. On lots 5,000 square feet and larger, buildings can go to six stories, provided 20% of the units are reserved as inclusionary housing. The city estimates that this reform will result in almost 3,600 new units by 2040, 660 of them affordable. Yet critics maintain that supply does not necessarily ensure affordability, especially if market-rate housing takes precedence over affordable units.
We’ve seen a few things happen that make us wonder how well this plan is going to work. For example, 161 Cushing Street, a modest 2-family home in Strawberry Hill—which is itself a modest neighborhood—went on the market in June of 2024 for $1,795,000. It was withdrawn in July. Eight days after the zoning passed, it came back on the market for a whopping $2,649,900. Yes, you read that right. That’s almost $900K more than the original price. The logic presented by the listing agent is that now a buyer could develop the lot into luxury units. From our perspective, that knocks a bunch of our “regular” clients right out of the running.
Zoning reform by itself will not be enough to end Cambridge's affordability crisis. Although there is no question that we need additional housing, the creation of this supply needs to be accompanied by robust policies ensuring truly affordable housing, avoiding displacement, and accommodating diverse participation in development initiatives. Only time will tell whether these zoning changes will create a more inclusive city or merely speed up market-driven development.
As housing affordability continues to challenge our local communities, we find it encouraging to see legislative steps that prioritize affordability, flexibility, and access, like Massachusetts’s Affordable Homes Act, signed into law last year by Governor Maura Healey. One of the changes we find most intriguing is the expanded ability to build Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs. These are small residential living spaces located on the same lot as another home, either within an existing primary residence, like converting a basement into an apartment, attached to a primary residence as a new construction addition, or completely detached, like a cottage or converted detached garage in a backyard.”
Here at Liz & Ellie Local, we are always looking for ways to make life a little greener. And if you’ve been in the Boston area for any length of time, you’ll know that there are areas where paving your yard was all the rage…and the remnants of that craze are still all over town. But things are changing. In Somerville, in particular, residents are tearing up their pavement in favor of something green.
We’re a few days from “official” summer, but there are already plenty of things happening outdoors in the Boston area. And while we love a good Red Sox game or concert at the Pavilion, there are tons of ways to take advantage of summer without spending a dime. From free music, to lectures, to movies and more, Boston has a plethora of free events worth checking out. As local residents of Cambridge and Somerville, who adore the communities we live and work in, we'd like to share a few of our favorite events.
With their complementary communication styles, responsiveness, competence, and ability to truly listen, Ellie and Liz enable their clients to feel at ease throughout any real estate transaction. They would welcome the opportunity to be your next real estate advisors.
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