We sent in our letter (PDF, DOC) to express our strong support for the Hebrew SeniorLife (HSL) project at 1200 Centre Street that will create a 78-unit affordable senior housing community.
Category: Housing
Hebrew Senior Life – Centre/Walter Proposed Project – Article 80 Public Meeting – 6 pm on 23 July 2025
With the Project Notification Form (PNF) for Article 80/Large Project Review of Hebrew Senior Life’s proposed all-affordable senior residential development at Centre/Walter with the Boston Planning Department having been filed on 25 June, we are now within a public comment period for the project that will end on 28 July. As noted in the headline, a community meeting for the project has been scheduled for 6 pm on 23 July via Zoom. Information on signing up for the meeting, as well as as on the project (including the PNF itself), can be found below, which has been cribbed from the Planning Department’s recent notification email.
Very briefly described, Hebrew Senior Life are proposing to fill in what is now a surface parking lot at the corner of Centre and Walter streets on their Roslindale campus with a 78-unit all deeply affordable senior residential building, addressing a critical need for this kind of housing within our overall regional housing emergency. In addition, neighborhood gateway corners are always critical and, as can be seen below, the proposed 6-story building will do an impressive job of holding down this particular gateway corner and complimenting the imminent safety improvements to this intersection that the neighborhood have long sought. Among the proposal’s many benefits, the fact that it is going to fill in what is now a surface parking lot is truly music to our ears. The WalkUP Roslindale Board are strongly supportive of the proposal and we intend to submit a support letter before the close of the comment period that will go into more detail about our specific thinking. We encourage those who support this kind of neighborhood improvement addressing the ongoing housing emergency to attend the meeting, learn more about the project, and, if you come away convinced of its value, to submit a comment in support of the project. We hope to see you there!
THE BELOW IS CUT AND PASTED FROM A PLANNING DEPARTMENT NOTIFICATION EMAIL.
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Roslindale Squares & Streets – Boston Zoning Commission Hearing on Deck – Wednesday, 21 May 2025, at 9:00 am – ADOPTED! UPDATE BELOW
The Boston Zoning Commission is set to hold their public hearing starting at about 9 am on this coming Wednesday, 21 May 2025, on the zoning text and map amendments developed through the small area planning process here in Roslindale Square over the course of the last year-plus.
LINK HERE: BZC agenda and information on how to register.
We encourage supporters of the proposed zoning changes to attend and offer testimony at the hearing, which will be over zoom, if at all possible. Whether you can make it or not, we also encourage you to submit supportive written comments to the Boston Zoning Commission’s Secretary, Jeffrey Hampton, at their official email address of zoningcommission@boston.gov. We’re going to submit our WalkUP Roslindale comment letter around the time of the BPDA Board vote last month. Hope to see many supporters on hand on Wednesday morning and here’s a LINK to a helpful tool that was put together for the BPDA Board meeting, but is also very helpful for preparing for the hearing and submitting your written support in advance!
UPDATE:
As first reported by Universal Hub (“Denser zoning approved for Roslindale Square”), the Roslindale Squares & Streets zoning amendments – both text and map – were adopted by the Boston Zoning Commission at their hearing this past Wednesday morning by a unanimous vote of 11 in favor, 0 against. As we have said many times, deep thanks go to the mayor and her administration, especially the folks at the Boston Planning Department, who worked tirelessly over the last 15 months to solicit feedback, develop the small area plan, and then craft zoning amendments to meet this moment in our neighborhood and city. Now we will all get to see what kinds of improvements and projects the new zoning will engender. Onward!
Squares + Streets Zoning Map – Roslindale Square – Closeout Meeting – 8 April 2025 @ 6 pm on ZOOM
Close on the heels of the end of the comment period yesterday, the Planning Department is hosting their scheduled closeout meeting on the zoning map and the revisions made thereto since its release in February. We encourage supporters to attend and thank the staff who have worked so hard over the last year to move the process from visioning to the small area plan and now the adoption of a new zoning map for the plan area. Information on the meeting and how to sign can be found HERE. Thanks!
Last Call for Comments on the S+S Zoning Map!
The deadline for comments on the Roslindale Squares+Streets Zoning Map has been extended to this Saturday, April 5th. We’ve just submitted our comment letter on the map, make sure to submit yours!
You may have submitted comments back in January or February for the Small Area Plan which was accepted by the BPDA, but the zoning updates are a separate process that follows the recommendations from the Small Area Plan. Make sure to comment on the Zoning Map as well.
Make a Public Comment on the Roslindale Squares + Streets Zoning Map by the Deadline on This Saturday, April 5th!
- Check out the Planning Department’s Zoning Map Guide (Español) (Kreyòl Ayisyen).
- Write and send a public comment in under 2 minutes with this handy tool (Español).
- Draw inspiration from these sample talking points (Español).
- Submit your comment here or by email to squaresandstreets@boston.gov.
- You can also use the City’s new interactive map-based comment form to identify and share thoughts about a specific area on the draft zoning map.
Highlights from The Rozzie Zoning Zoom!
Key highlights from The Rozzie Zoning Zoom are now available! You can also watch the full recording here.
Balancing Zoning Flexibility & Community Input
Boston City Planner Abdul Zachariah discusses how the new zoning grants greater flexibility to property owners interested in redevelopment, but it is also sensitive to neighborhood character and community input.
Roslindale Housing Growth Projection
Eric Ouyang, CEO of Perci PBC, shares a projection of housing growth in Roslindale based on assumptions of which parcels are more likely to be redeveloped under the new zoning.
New Zoning Makes it Easier to Build Affordable Housing
MAPC Director of Land Use Andrea Harris-Long and Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén discuss how the new zoning flexibility and faster approval for projects means lower costs, making it easier for affordable housing developers to succeed.
Housing Types For Different Life Stages
Should we require developers to build more family-sized housing? Insights from MAPC Director of Land Use Planning Andrea Harris-Long, Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén, and Perci CEO Eric Ouyang.
Community Interest in Upzoning
Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén shares what he’s been hearing from community members interested in the new zoning.
Addressing Displacement
Our panelists discuss the risk of displacement today, as well as what tenants and businesses may encounter under new zoning. They also tackle different strategies for addressing it.
Tax Revenue Impact of New Development
Perci PBC CEO Eric Ouyang and Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem describe the impacts that new development can have on local property tax revenue.
Removing Parking Minimums in Rozzie & Cambridge
Boston City Planner Abdul Zachariah and Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem talk about the implications of allowing developers the flexibility to determine how much on-site parking to build.
Make a Public Comment on Squares + Streets Zoning by the March 31st Deadline!
- Write and send a public comment in under 2 minutes with this handy tool (Español)
- Draw inspiration from these sample talking points (Español)
- Submit your comment here or by email to squaresandstreets@boston.gov.
- You can also use the City’s new interactive map-based comment form to identify and share thoughts about a specific area on the draft zoning map.
Recording of The Rozzie Zoning Zoom!
Last night, over 70 people joined us live to listen to a rich and lively discussion with an expert panel of urban planners, local officials, and housing advocates and dive deep into the new Squares + Streets zoning for Roslindale – what will this mean for the community? How much new housing and public amenities should we expect? What will be the impact on affordability and displacement risk?
Video and audio versions of the recording are now available:
Audio only:
WalkUP Roslindale and Rozzidents for More Rozzidents extend our thanks to the excellent panelists who participated.
Resources discussed during the panel:
- Roslindale Squares+Streets Zoning Map
- Zoning Map Guide
- Squares+Streets Zoning Summary (descriptions of S0-S5 zones)
- Boston’s Anti-Displacement Action Plan
Public comment is open through March 31, and we want to show strong neighborhood support.
Here’s how to make your voice heard!
- Write and send a public comment in under 2 minutes with this handy tool (Español)
- Draw inspiration from these sample talking points (Español)
- Submit your comment here or by email to squaresandstreets@boston.gov.
- Voice your support at the public meeting on Tuesday, March 18 at 6PM. Showing up matters!
TONIGHT at 7pm – The Rozzie Zoning Zoom!
The City proposed new Squares + Streets zoning for Roslindale – what will this mean for the community? How much new housing and public amenities should we expect? What will be the impact on affordability and displacement risk? Join us for an expert panel of urban planners, local officials, and housing advocates tonight to find out!
The Rozzie Zoning Zoom!
Thursday March 13, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Submit Your Public Comment on Rozzie Zoning in 2 Minutes!
Boston’s Planning Department released good zoning updates for Roslindale Square, like removing costly parking mandates, allowing buildings up to 7 stories in the commercial core, allowing buildings up to 7 stories in the commercial core, and identifying a potential site for a thoughtful mixed-use high-rise development.
Public comment is open through March 31, and we want to show strong neighborhood support. Here’s how to make your voice heard!
- Use this handy tool (Español) to write and send a public comment in under 2 minutes.
- Draw inspiration from these sample talking points (Español) and submit your comments here or by email to squaresandstreets@boston.
gov. - Voice your support at the Mar 18 public meeting at 6PM. Showing up matters!
Still want to learn more? Join The Rozzie Zoning Zoom on Mar 13 at 7PM for an expert discussion on how the new zoning could shape Roslindale’s housing, affordability, and walkability over the next 10+ years.
The “Paris-ification” of Cambridge – Go read this piece now!
As we continue to work our way through the Squares & Streets planning and zoning reform process here in Roslindale and look ahead specifically to the Rozzie Zoning Zoom on the 13th of March in which one of our panelists will be none other than Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem, we simply cannot commend enough this piece by Susan Gittelman from B’nai B’rith Housing that recently appeared in Banker & Tradesman
Cambridge legalized multifamily housing citywide…
It’s a quick, but hopeful read about the compelling message that one of our principal, short-, medium-, and long-term goals must be to “build housing where people want to live.” That the Cambridge City Council voted 8 to 1 to support this fundamental a change in that city’s approach to how it zones for housing is indeed remarkable. In the end, the broader idea is to move toward that goal in the way that makes the most sense for every city, town, and neighborhood. As City Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui, co-chair of the council’s housing committee along with Councilor Azeem, notes in the article: “Cambridge has unique economic forces and a unique culture that will affect the details of how other communities might want to apply these concepts.”