Cambridge Nonprofit Presents Plans for 110-Unit Affordable Development

Nonprofit housing developer B’nai B’rith Housing presented plans to build 110 affordable one-bedroom units for senior Cambridge residents at an existing property on Blanchard Road during a Tuesday Planning Board meeting.

The proposed development, currently in the community review phase of the development process, seeks to redesign the existing Cambridge Highlands property under the Affordable Housing Overlay, a citywide policy loosening zoning restrctions for fully affordable housing developments.

“It is very clear that the need is significant and growing,” said BBH’s Executive Director Susan Gittelman in the Tuesday meeting.

“Low income seniors are under enormous pressure, many leaving Cambridge because of the high cost of housing and the lack of appropriate housing options,” Gittelman added.

Because the development exclusively offers one-bedroom units, there was initial concern from the Planning Board over the lack of mixed-size units. But BBH Senior Project Manager David Webster said that one-bedroom units best meet the needs of low-income seniors.

“One-beds are what we find, by and large, the most demand for,” Webster said. “If you look at the Cambridge Housing Authority’s inventory of age-restricted, affordable housing, 99 percent of those units are one-beds or studios.”

“From our perspective, it’s how we can meet the most need by providing that type of unit,” Webster added.

The development would also add roughly 30 vehicle spaces and 99 bicycle spaces. However, some Planning Board members expressed concern over the parking expansion, questioning the need for parking for senior units.

Webster said that parking spaces for senior units is not unusual.

“It is consistent with the parking ratios that we have at other urban senior housing projects,” Webster said. “From our perspective, it’s about the ratio that we’ve used at other properties and found is appropriate.”

During the meeting, the development received praised residents who said the need for senior affordable housing is growing. Cambridge resident James Zoll voiced support for the development and stressed its importance for seniors at the Planning Board meeting.

“It’s a great opportunity to use the Affordable Housing Overlay to create some long overdue lower-cost housing, this time in an underutilized area of Cambridge,” Zoll said.

While the Cambridge Housing Authority manages ten senior housing sites, the waitlist for seniors has grown to over 1,000 names, according to Zoll.

“Along with housing for other categories of people, we certainly need a project like this,” Zoll said. “I would like to see it advance as quickly as possible and go into construction, and provide the benefits for the people of Cambridge and surrounding areas that are badly needed.”

—Staff writer Laurel M. Shugart can be reached at laurel.shugart@thecrimson.com. Follow them on X @laurelmshugart or on Threads @laurel.shugart.

—Staff writer Olivia W. Zheng can be reached at olivia.zheng@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @oliviawzg.