Boston ZBA Approves 50 Units of Affordable Housing Across Fenway and Dorchester

BOSTON -- December 10, 2024, Boston's Zoning Board of Appeal unanimously approved two fully affordable housing projects totaling 50 units at its December 10 virtual hearing. The Fenway Community Development Corporation received approval for a 24-unit, 100 percent affordable building at 112 Queensberry Street in the West Fenway, with all units priced at 60 percent of area median income or below and three units reserved for formerly homeless individuals referred by the city; attorney Joe Hanley of McDermott, Colty, Miller & Hanley represented the Fenway CDC. The board also approved the 26-unit Nehemiah Development Project at 157 Humboldt Avenue in Dorchester, a partnership of Nuestra CDC and Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church represented by attorney Andrew Valazon of Golsan and Storrs, despite a deferral request from the District 7 City Councilor's office citing maintenance concerns at other Nuestra properties. A five-unit homeownership project at 85 Mount Pleasant Avenue in Roxbury passed 6-1 over neighborhood opposition, with Mr. Langham casting the lone dissent; the planning department had recommended approval and the only relief sought was a use variance. The board also voted to reconsider a previously denied East Boston rooftop case at 106 Webster Street after attorney Richard Linds identified a defective public notice that cited a South Boston zoning article rather than the applicable East Boston provision.