The development team has received a number of questions from community members and residents regarding this proposed redevelopment. Many of these questions were received over the community meetings starting in October 2016 and going through March 2017. The questions that we have received and the answers we have given are summarized below for the benefit of review for those who were unable to attend the previous community meetings. Additional comments and concerns may also be submitted via the Contact Us link at the top right of the page.
Why is Clarendon Hill being redeveloped?
Clarendon Hill was built in 1948 as housing for veterans returning from World War II, primarily in 1-person households. The Somerville Housing Authority has done a great job maintaining these buildings with limited resources. Despite those efforts, the buildings and units are dilapidated and functionally obsolete for the families that live there now.
The State and the City have been hoping to redevelop the Clarendon Hill site for quite some time. The State owns over 45,000 units of state-funded public housing units of this type across the state. With very little state spending authorized to these housing units, the State has been evaluating ways to spearhead redevelopment for them. This redevelopment proposal is in response to a call from the State to leverage the current strong housing market by bringing together a public-private partnership to redevelop the site. We believe we have a great opportunity to do that here in a way that will provide improved, affordable housing for the existing residents and create additional housing for many more future residents of Somerville.
Why not renovate the buildings rather than build new?
At almost 70 years old, the Clarendon Hill buildings are reaching the end of their useful life. The buildings were constructed for returning WWII veterans, and while the Somerville Housing Authority has maintained these buildings with limited resources, the buildings and units are dilapidated and functionally obsolete. Unsurprisingly, the unit size and layout fail to meet the needs of the modern families. Many of these issues cannot be resolved even through a gut renovation, so new buildings are necessary to provide adequate, healthy, affordable, energy-efficient housing for the long-term.
Additionally, sufficient funding for a large scale renovation is simply not available from the state. By building new and bringing additional market-rate units, we are able to generate the funds we need to pay for the reconstruction and ongoing maintenance of the affordable units that would not otherwise be available.
Will the redevelopment be phased?
There are a number of factors that will influence the redevelopment timeline, including funding availability and ability to relocate residents – currently, we are planning to have 2 phases of development. The first phase will redevelop the half of the site closer to Alewife Brook Parkway, and leave 5 buildings standing closer to North Street. Once the first phase is completed, the second phase buildings will be demolished and rebuilt. The phasing allows us to be keep a number of residents onsite, and close to schools and/or other services, during the redevelopment.
How will the construction team manage construction impacts, including pest control?
Our general contractor will create a construction impact mitigation plan. Typically, these plans set hours within which work can be performed, and work to mitigate road disruptions from delivery and contractor vehicles. Additionally, there will be dust containment on site. As we get closer to the time of development, we can come back to the community to share that plan.
Pest control is an important issue at any construction site, especially one of this scale. Construction crews will make every effort to mitigate pest impact at the site and the surrounding neighborhood, and pest control contractors will be utilized – both preemptively and in the event that issues arise.
Pest control measures will also be implemented at the household level as the team works with families to relocate to alternative housing solutions during the construction period. Our relocation consultants will establish a pest control program that will include housekeeping education and a method called Integrated Pest Management that focuses on long-term prevention of pests.
For how long will the existing residents be relocated?
Given the scope of the project, we estimate that some residents may be relocated for as few as two and half years while others may be relocated for up to five years. We continue to work through proposed phasing strategies and relocation protocols to refine and gain clarity around this question.
Where will the residents be relocated to, and how will the right to return be guaranteed?
Residents will be working closely with a full-time, professional relocation specialist who will be consulting one-on-one with families to understand their unique situation – where they work, where their kids might go to school, what qualities are important to them in a house and in a neighborhood, etc. – in order to present options that best meet their needs. All efforts will be taken to ensure housing is as close as possible to Clarendon Hill. Our intention is to work with the School Department to keep kids enrolled in Somerville in the schools where they are currently in attendance.
Documented moving expenses will be paid for, and residents will pay the same rent as they pay now in Clarendon Hill. All current residents have the right to return, should they choose, to the redeveloped Clarendon Hill and live in affordable units.
Do all residents have the right to return (even if not in “good standing”)?
The right to return guarantees all current residents the right to return should they choose to and is governed by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)’s relocation policy. The right to return will be put in writing so that residents are clear about their rights. Any tenants not evicted from their apartment for documented violation of their lease have the right to return.
Who will pay for bussing students during relocation?
As stated above, our goal is to keep all households currently enrolled in the Somerville School System, if that is the preference of the household. As such, we will be working with the school system and the households to ensure that adequate transportation if provided if necessary.
Who will guarantee that the rents and rules will stay the same?
The Somerville Housing Authority will remain an important member of the ongoing operation of the redeveloped site. The Housing Authority will continue to monitor lease compliance and oversee management protocols in collaboration with the new property manager, POAH Communities. Additionally, the development team will sign a contract with the Somerville Housing Authority and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) that ensures that the rents will be calculated in the same way for the public housing replacement units, that current residents have the right to return, and that ensures that the new housing meets important standards of quality.
When will the project start, and when will it be completed?
The Team is excited to report that we received zoning approval in the Fall of 2020. Since that time, the team has been working to advance the construction drawings and secure the necessary financial commitments to move forward on the project. As milestones are met, the team will reengage with the residents to initiate relocation. Relocation started in late Summer of 2022 and if all goes as planned, construction starts in the December of 2022.
How many units and buildings?
The site has been approved by the zoning board of appeals for 591 apartments across 3 buildings and a set of townhomes. The reason for the increase in the total number of units is that the market rate are needed to help pay for the reconstruction of the public housing units.
Who will the new market rate units be marketed to?
Given the demographic trends and the types of people interested in this type of housing, we expect that recent college graduates, employees of local companies, and young families will be interested in the market rate units.
What will the market rate housing rent be?
The market rate rent (for the additional units being constructed) will be determined by the market at the time of completion, and will be set at the going rate in the area for a similarly sized unit.
Why are the proposed buildings taller than the existing ones?
The taller buildings are necessary to accommodate the number of new units needed to generate the revenue we need to pay for the reconstruction of the permanently affordable public housing units.
Will the replaced public housing units be spread throughout the site?
Yes, every building will house some of the replacement public housing units. Some buildings will house a larger proportion of public housing replacement units and others will house a smaller proportion. As stated earlier, it is critical to generate a significant cross subsidy from the production of market-rate units and our analysis shows that a greater cross subsidy is available by approaching the replacement of public housing units in that way.
Will all of the residents have access to the same amenities?
There will be shared amenities on the site, including, most notably, an enhanced outdoor green space. There will also be some amenities that are specific to each building. All residents of each individual building will have access to all amenities in their building.
Will there be recycling in the buildings?
Yes! There will be recycling in each building. Additionally, each building will have trash chutes and an internal compactor.
Will there be ADA units?
Yes. The redevelopment will have ADA accessible units as required by law.
What will the common space be used for? A library? A daycare?
We have not finalized decisions around common space usage, but have gotten a number of good suggestions from the community. We are working to make sure the space is accessible, flexible, and can accommodate a range of uses – from community meetings, to indoor play space, and so on. Some areas will likely be more specifically targeted to uses such as exercise equipment, a library, or daycare, depending on community feedback.
Will you have separate entrances for affordable and market units?
No, every building will have a mix of income ranges and they will have access to the same points of entry. In addition, it is likely that townhouse-style units will each have an individual entrance and stoop at the street level.
How much parking will there be? Will I be able to park next to my unit? How will resident parking work?
The approved site plan requires 274 parking spaces dedicated to the residents of the new buildings. The newly introduced thoroughfares will also provide Somerville resident parking. In order to allow for green space and common areas, the majority of these parking spaces will be underground in structured parking, where residents can park in the basement of their building and then take the elevator to their unit.
What is being done about traffic impacts from any additional cars and people at the site?
Working with our traffic engineers and the City of Somerville, we have designed a road network that allows for multiple points of entry and exit to the site, minimizing impact to any one intersection. We will be working with the City to update signalization at a number of near by traffic signals. Most notably, we have worked with the City to secure a MassWorks grant to redesign the intersection of Alewife Brook and Powderhouse Boulevard, to provide for a safer and more pedestrian and bike friendly intersection. Additionally, we hope to encourage the residents of the new units to be as car free as possible. There will be car-sharing options, enhanced bike access, and improved pedestrian connections.
Will the unit sizes be the same across the buildings?
We do not yet have detailed designs for the different buildings, but we can ensure that all units will be constructed at a high standard of quality, workmanship, and material. The units will utilize the newest technologies to maximize comfort and durability, energy efficiency, and appliance reliability. Unit sizes across every building may not be identical, but all units will be meet current housing standards as per the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development standards.
Will the renovated units have washer and dryer hookups?
We are currently designing the units and are including washer and dryer hookups. While this is not typical for state-funded housing developments, we have heard from the residents that this is a significant issue for them and are taking that to heart.
Will the units be smoke free?
Yes. However, designated smoking areas will be provided.
Will there be any amenities for the broader neighborhood at the site?
We do anticipate having some common shared amenities at the site, many of which may be open to the general public either for specific programming (i.e. community gardening) or for more public use. One of the most important opportunities we foresee with the redevelopment of this site is integrating this segment of the neighborhood back into the surrounding community.
Who pays the property taxes on the new, improved affordable units given that the value of these units will increase? Will my taxes go up?
We are projecting that taxes will be paid on all of the new units, but not the replacement housing units. We see no reason why the taxes of any abutters would go up due to the activity at the Clarendon site.
Who will pay the public education costs of the new residents with kids?
Experience from recent projects in the area with similar unit mixes and demographics show that relatively few school-age children move in to the new market rate units, since most residents are singles or couples and are young professionals or grad students. Even if the new market-rate units bring a higher percentage of school-age kids than would be expected based on recent data, the new property tax generated from the new units is significantly higher than the cost of educating (calculated at $15,000 per student per year) and in all realistic scenarios comes out as a net positive for the city.