Commissioners recommend deeper affordability for 212 University project, subject to developer feasibility

The Planning Commission reviewed a five-story, 20-unit apartment proposal at 212 University and moved to recommend an amended affordable-housing plan that would provide 15% of units at deeper affordability, contingent on the developer’s ability to secure approvals and financing.

The project, presented by Thomas McNair of the Community Development Department, is a five-story building with a mix of three- and four-bedroom apartments. McNair said the project applied under the downtown form-based code and the state’s builder’s remedy, which sharply limits the city’s ability to deny the application so long as required affordability levels are met. “It is a 5 story, 20 unit apartment building,” McNair said, and he described the constrained scope for local review because of the builder’s remedy.

Why it matters: the developer offered two affordable-housing plans and recent state changes reduced mandatory percentages, creating a choice between a larger share of low-income units or fewer units at deeper affordability. The…