Action Alert: Support 100% Affordable Housing on Central Hill

Just-A-Start and the Somerville Community Land Trust are working on a plan to build affordable apartments and some ground-floor retail at 297 Medford Street (the former autobody shop behind the central library), and they need your help. The lot is currently zoned for Mid-Rise 3, and even though zoning code allows some extra height for 100% affordable housing, the steep slope and soil contamination mean they’ll need to go a bit taller to cover the cost of construction. They’re asking the city for a change to Mid-Rise 4, which, when combined with the Affordable Housing Overlay rules, will allow them the height they need.

Building homes — especially affordable homes — on this site is clearly well within the goals of the city’s official master plan, but the city has rejected previous proposals to build there. We think that this proposal in particular is a clear win, so we want to rally an overwhelming show of support for it. Please sign this letter of support to remind the city that their constituents want them to take prompt action on the housing shortage by allowing this project to go ahead.

Just-A-Start and SCLT will also be hosting a meeting about the project on March 5 if you’d like to talk with them about the details, timeline, and goals for the building. Their proposal will then go to the Land Use Committee on March 20, and we encourage you to attend in support that evening as well.