Community opposition to affordable housing : jamming the system

Abstract

This thesis explores community opposition to affordable housing in the suburban communities of Massachusetts. In the twenty years since Chapter 774 was enacted, a significant amount of affordable housing has been developed. However, there are still many communi ties with less than the required ten percent of affordable housing. These communities are opposing affordable housing development in ways which are more sophisticated, forcing developers to anticipate a longer and more expensive development process. In order to examine the opposition within a community, and how this opposition is often transferred from community members to local officials, the thesis looks at three case studies from the last ten years. The thesis will use material from interviews with affordable housing developers, and other actors in the affordable housing process, as well as material from the Housing Appeals Committee files. The process of affordable housing development is discussed, with emphasis on the points of intervention used by communities. The stakeholders in the development process are reviewed, along with their motivations, interests, and concerns. The three case studies rely mainly on sworn testimony from the HAC hearings, and reveal a number of ways in which community opposition is used to "jam the system," using strategies that are both everyday and unusual. Each case presents the actors in the opposition, their location in the process, and a discussion of the effectiveness of their strategy. The final chapter discusses why this opposition occurs in these ways, and makes recommendations for reducing the negative impact on the affordable housing development process. Recommendations are made for addressing the opposition discussed in the cases. These include initiating an project specific assisted negotiation process, a regional fair share negotiation process, and a more flexible state rule system for affordable housing.