WORCESTER, Mass. – The housing project on Franklin Street in Worcester will now include more affordable units than initial plans called for.
The 364-unit apartment building will have 36 affordable units, ranging from studios to two-bedrooms, and account for 10% of the overall project overseen by Goventure Capital Group.
While some city councilors commended Goventure for coming to the table and celebrated this deal as a win, others are focused on continuing to push the envelope. With more than 7,000 new housing units planned across the city, discussions are once again turning toward inclusionary zoning to ensure other developers contribute to solving the city’s housing crisis.
Leah Bradley, executive director of the Central Mass Housing Alliance, said the current housing situation will take bold action to fix.
“Since 2021, we’ve seen a 60% increase in the number of children experiencing homelessness, which is a huge increase,” Bradley said. “We’ve also seen a 73% increase in the number of individuals experiencing homelessness, and that really is about the lack of affordable housing, the fact that rents are increasing and families’ income is not.”
On April 11, the Worcester City Council will be holding a discussion on inclusionary zoning based on recommendations from the economic development committee, the latest of which calls for 10% of all units in new developments to be affordable.