MIT Center for Real Estate

Leveraging Science, Developing Innovation

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3rd Annual Housing Affordability Conference

Tuesday, May 22, 2007, 9am-3:30pm, Little Kresge Auditorium

 

MIT/CRE presented its 3rd Annual Housing Affordability conference with groundbreaking work on the Chapter 40B comprehensive permitting process, as well as results from several new affordable housing indexes. See below for papers, presentations, handouts, and other conference materials.

40B Permitting. We presented the findings of our examination of the “life histories” of all 40B comprehensive permit applications since 1999. Our research sought to answer questions that included, "How many projects have been proposed? How long is the typical and not-so-typical application project? How many projects (and which ones) were built?  Which projects are more likely to involve litigation?" and many more. Read 40B press release.

New Indexes. We also revealed our latest housing affordability index ratings. Changes in affordability in the Boston area from 2000 to 2006 were highlighted, and indexes for 3 other New England metropolitan areas were released. Following up on last year’s work, these indexes included both rental and owner-occupied units, as well as measures of quality of life. Read Indexes press release.

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Watch the 40B Panel Session

After we presented our 40B research, a distinguished panel from various sectors of industry and government responded to our findings and considered the policy Implications.

play 56k (requires RealPlayer download)
play 220k (requires RealPlayer download)

 

See the Conference Materials

1. Chapter 40B Research Findings

40B Slide Show (Presentation)
Total Application Tree
Chapter 40B Permitting and Litigation Paper
40B Project and Process Characteristics Table


2. New Amenity Based Housing Affordability Index

Index Presentation
Housing Affordability: A Regional Map
Rhode Island Affordability 2006
Greater Boston Area Affordability 2006
Change in Greater Boston Area Affordability 2000-2006
Springfield Metro Area Affordability 2006


3. Suburban Residential Land Use Density

Lotsize Presentation
Percent Change in Median Lotsize for New Single Family Construction
          1998-2002 vs 2003-2004

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Program

8:15 am:   Check-in and Breakfast 

(Little Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave, MIT Campus)

9:00 am:   The Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permitting Process -

Release of an Examination of the “Life Histories” of Permit Applications for the Boston Metropolitan Area since 1999.

Part I: Basic Statistics

  1. What types of towns receive the most applications?

  2. What percent of applications yield new construction?

  3. What percent of proposed units get built?

  4. Time from application to receipt (or rejection) of comprehensive permit

  5. Characteristics of proposals and towns which yield/do not yield new construction

  6. What factors determine ZBA decisions?

  7. Frequency of HAC appeals: what circumstances lead to appeals?

  8. What explains the length of the permitting process?

  9. Types of conditions most frequently attached to comprehensive permits

  10. An accurate measure of the pipeline: how much affordable housing will stem from proposals currently being considered?

  11. How do the above considerations differ for owner vs. rental proposals?

10:00 am:  Morning Break

10:10 am: 40B Permit Applications, Part II: Behavior Underlying the Basic Statistics

11:00 am: Panel Discussion – Response to the 40B Statistics; Policy Implications of the Findings

  1. Tina Brooks, Director, Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)

  2. Howard Cohen, Beacon Communities

  3. The Honorable Werner Lohe, Housing Appeals Committee (HAC)

  4. Joseph Peznola, Hudson Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) and Hancock Associates

  5. Jay Talerman, Blatman, Bobrowski & Mead, LLC

  6. Clark Ziegler, Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP)

12:00 noon: Lunch     

(La Sala de Puerto Rico, Stratton Student Center, 2nd Floor, 84 Massachusetts Ave, MIT Campus)

1:00 pm: Suburban Residential Land Use Density

  1. It’s lower than you think

  2. Which towns have recently increased/decreased density?

  3. Density and job accessibility: implications for affordability

1:20pm: Release of New Amenity Based Housing Affordability Indexes


Amenity-Based Housing Affordability Indexes Paper
(L. Fisher, H. Pollakowski, J. Zabel - May 2007)

Acknowledgement of Index Sponsors

  1. Bank of America

  2. Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston

  3. MassHousing

  4. The Warren Group

Affordability Index Findings

  1. Rental and homeownership indexes based on town-by-town counts of all existing affordable housing

  2. Affordability in the Boston metropolitan area: comparing 2000 and 2006

  3. New indexes for 3 additional New England metropolitan areas

  4. The (modest) impact of recent house price declines on affordability

  5. Towards online index building for specific household

2:45pm: End of Program

Directions & Parking Information

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