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Brookline planners pitch tool to trade ground‑floor retail build‑outs for less‑expensive affordable units
Summary
Planning staff presented draft Ground Floor Commercial Incentive guidelines that would allow developers to offer rental units at 70% AMI in exchange for providing baseline tenant improvements (BTI) to ground‑floor commercial spaces; the proposal uses letters of credit to guarantee build‑outs and aims for a July 1 publication and a June 25 vote by the Select Board.
Planning department staff presented a draft Ground Floor Commercial Incentive (GFCI) program and companion guidelines in a public hearing before the Select Board, framing the measure as a way to expand workforce housing while encouraging investment in retail-ready ground‑floor space.
Maria Morelli, senior planner in the regulatory division, said the GFCI implements a provision of the affordable housing bylaw (zoning section 4.08) adopted in fall 2023. Under the draft, developers who provide baseline tenant improvements (BTI) for ground‑floor commercial spaces could offer on‑site rental units at 70% of area median income (AMI); ownership options include higher AMI tiers. The BTI concept covers distributed electrical and…
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