Submitted by likezoinksscooby t3_zcflys in boston
Hear me out: Boston has a lot of high paying jobs and there’s no shortage of people who want to live in the city. Those new luxury units help to soak up that demand so they aren’t bidding up existing units—or at least, they aren’t bidding it up as much as they would/forcing as many existing residents out. Boston has a major housing shortage and all new housing is good housing. It makes sense that developers are building luxury housing first since they get a better return, and hopefully once that saturates they’ll start proposing more affordable units.
I am mildly confused every time I see backlash in public comments on proposed new housing on vacant lots/parking lots/ abandoned buildings. Not building (I think) is going to make the rent situation—and also in my opinion, the gentrification issue— worse.