Letter: Amherst’s High Rents Necessitate Changes to Inclusionary Zoning Requirement
Architect's rendering of apartment building at 26 Spring Steet. Photo: amherstma.gov
The following letter was sent to the Amherst Community Resources Committee and the Amherst Planning Board on December 18, 2024.
Here are some of the rents at the new apartment and mixed-use buildings. Please note that only 11 East Pleasant and Aspen Heights have affordable units. The UMass Off-campus Housing Office is my source:
As I said at the December 17 CRC meeting, these are Boston area rents and even higher.
This is why I offered Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville as sister cities to look at inclusionary zoning requirements. Both Somerville and Cambridge require 20 percent affordable apartments in larger buildings, while Boston requires 17 percent with an added 3 percent of units taking vouchers (Section 8). This supports, I think, raising the percentage requirement on University Drive—as well as throughout Amherst. (Recall that building costs are lower here than in the Boston metro area.)
Janet
Aspen Heights
$2425- 453 sq ft studio
$2489 501 sq ft 2 bedroom
$3199 627 sq ft 2 bedroom
$4455 1,302 sq ft 3 bedroom
| Aspen Heights Amherst Apartments | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Off-Campus Housing Search offcampushousing.umass.edu |
Spring Street
$2150-222 330-462 sq ft studio (max 4 occupants)
$2375-2875 620 sq ft 1 bedroom (4 max occupants)
| 26 Spring Apartments | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Off-Campus Housing Search offcampushousing.umass.edu |
1 East Pleasant Street (no affordable units)
$2150-$2075 524 sq ft studio (max 4 occupants)
$2175-2345 590 sq ft 1 bedroom (max 4 occupants)
| One East Pleasant Apartments | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Off-Campus Housing Search offcampushousing.umass.edu |
Kendrick Place (no affordable units)
$2150-$2075 524 sq ft studio (max 4 occupants)
$1400 per bedroom in a 3 bedroom apt, 1407 square feet ($4200/month)
$1380-1430/ bed in 4 bedroom apt ($5520-$5720/month)
| Kendrick Place Apartments | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Off-Campus Housing Search offcampushousing.umass.edu |
11 East Pleasant Street
$3500 810-838 sq ft 2 bedroom (4 max occupants)
| 11 E Pleasant St Apartments | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Off-Campus Housing Search offcampushousing.umass.edu |
Fieldstone (on UMass campus)
Up to $1704 per bedroom in 786 sq ft apt
Many off campus students exceed the permitted tenants, in order to make it more affordable . This is a common practice ,and impossible to enforce .
An article in last years Wall Street Journal spoke of the cost of student housing,and that it exceeds that of tuition , with a mention of Umass.
The high price of rent ,is what has led to the splurge in big box student housing , which the town has eagerly allowed .
Very interesting research. The rents to live in these new buildings are eye-popping. No wonder retail shops and non-student housing are on a steep decline in Amherst.
Making matters worse, I understand that Fieldstone, because it is on UMass property, pays no local property tax.