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IBA CEO Speaks at Affordable Housing Panel in Boston

Recently, our CEO Vanessa Calderón-Rosado was a panelist at Bisnow Boston’s Affordable Housing Conference. Vanessa and fellow panelists Karen LaFrazia, St. Francis House Executive Director, Paul Donahue, RED Capital Managing Director, and moderator Jeff Sacks, Partner at Nixon Peabody, discussed the state of the affordable housing market in Boston and the major issues that the real estate industry and policymakers should watch. Across the board, panelists agreed upon the importance of the Community Preservation Act (CPA). Everyone, particularly Boston residents, should focus on the upcoming ballot question and vote to adopt the law in November. Vanessa spoke passionately about the reasons that the CPA is vital for Boston, noting that it could generate more than $20 million in revenue for the city, dedicated to enhancing open community spaces, historic preservation and, of course, affordable housing. It would provide much-needed resources to the city, which would benefit families struggling to afford housing today. The panel also touched on the importance of housing options that benefit a wide range of incomes, such as the extremely low-income population served by St. Francis House. As we look ahead to Mayor Walsh’s Imagine Boston goal of 53,000 new housing units by 2030, 6,500 of those must be affordable, and we need to focus on important policy issues that can further this effort, as resources remain scarce. When asked about the newly-rebranded BRA and what the panelists hope to see from the Boston Planning and Development Agency, they talked about creating simpler processes, particularly as it relates to zoning. Vanessa spoke to the importance of paying attention to the individual needs of each neighborhood. She highlighted our South End neighborhood, and expressed hope that developers will have to create affordable units onsite at their projects, as there is no room to build it elsewhere. It was great to see such a crucial issue facing our city addressed among some of the top experts in Boston. And remember, if you are a Boston resident, vote YES on question number 5 on the November ballot!...