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Board upholds Unit 5 renovation permit at 40/50 Alta Street despite tenant concerns
Summary
The Board of Appeals denied an appeal and upheld the Unit 5 renovation permit, finding the narrow interior permit did not require further action; tenants raised worries about sequencing, disclosure, and displacement that commissioners urged be tracked for future permits.
The Board of Appeals on July 31 denied an appeal of a DBI permit for interior work on Unit 5 at 40/50 Alta Street, voting 5-0 to uphold the permit.
Tenants and tenants' consultants told the board they were confused by dense plan packets delivered late and worried the broader set of filings for seismic retrofit, decks and potential ADUs would lead to displacement and loss of storage. ‘‘We're seeking the commissioner's guidance once again in helping us get transparency,’’ appellant Carolyn Duffy said, urging appointment of a tenant liaison and clearer outreach.
Permit counsel said the specific permit under appeal covered a kitchen and bathroom renovation to a currently vacant unit and should not by itself force tenant displacement; DBI inspector Joe Duffy said the Unit 5 permit concerned work inside a single unit and that future ADU or seismic permits could raise broader tenant impacts and are subject to separate review and appeal. Planning staff said some consolidated applications were recently filed and those would be appealable when issued.
After discussing department testimony and public comment, the Board concluded the Unit 5 permit had been properly issued and denied the appeal. Commissioners emphasized tenants can monitor future filings using Planning’s block/BBN notification and pursue enforcement steps for future permits that affect shared facilities or displacement.
Outcome: Motion to deny the appeal and uphold the permit carried 5-0.
