Upon completion, expected late 2023-early 2024, our goal is to rent all 14 units for $750 a month. The annual rent increases will not to exceed the inflation rate as measured by the CPI (Consumer Price Index). The monthly rent will include heat, cold and hot water. Each unit will have its own electrical meter and the occupant will pay for their electrical usage. Residents who are mindful of their electrical usage can expect to pay $30 to $40 per month for electrical use.

Preference will be given to applicants whose daily activities are within walking/biking distance or a reasonable public transit commuting time of 141 Westville St. Beyond that, this development is not meant to favor a demographic group over another. We will consider and welcome the application of anyone who is willing to be a respectful neighbors and pay the rent on time.

There will be zero car parking space (but plenty of indoor bike parking) on the property. Only people who do not own a car will be allowed to live at 141 Westville. It will be clearly spelled in the lease and strictly enforced.

For multiple good reasons: 1) Providing off-street parking would greatly reduce the number of units that can be built on the lot and make them much more costly; they would no longer be affordable. 2) Since there is an acute shortage of affordable housing near dependable public transit stops, it is both fair and logical to give priority to people who need public transit the most and are going to use it most efficiently. People who can afford a car have a much wider range of options since they can reside in areas that are not well served by public transportation. 3) Bringing in addtional car-owning residents would increase traffic congestion and make street parking more challenging. It would likely be met with serious neighbor opposition. 4) As of 2022, the largest source of green gas emission in MA is transportation. Radically reducing car emissions whenever possible is the most efficient way to address the issue. Other impacts reflecting the developer's view are stated in a Wikipedia article titled "The effect of the car on societies"; "The modern negative consequences of heavy automotive use include the use of non-renewable fuels, a dramatic increase in the rate of accidental death, the disconnection of local community[5][6], the decrease of local economy[7], the rise in obesity and cardiovascular diseases, the emission of air and noise pollution, the emission of greenhouse gases, generation of urban sprawl and traffic, segregation of pedestrians and other active mobility means of transport, decrease in the railway network, urban decay and the high cost per unit-distance on which the car paradigm is based"

The lower level of the building will have two washers and two dryers for common use, secure indoor bike storage and a bike repair station. There is also a 210 sqft lounge/common room. Incoming residents will be involved in deciding on the use of that room. An outdoor shared patio will be provided at the rear of the building. The neighborhood and the rest of the City offer a great range of amenities within a relatively short distance. Dedicating more of the building’s indoor space to public use would reduce the number of units available and greatly increase the rental cost of the remaining ones. A city-owned vacant at the rear of 141 Westville was recently transformed into a small attractive public park/garden. It will provide the residents with some welcome greenery at their back door.

While the City of Boston has allowed for a few hundred units of micro-housing to be built in the Seaport District, the rent for these homes typically starts above $2000. They are only affordable to a small percentage of better off Bostonians and very much out of reach for the working class or anyone earning under $60k a year. A more useful comparison is found an hour South of Boston. In Providence’s downtown area, the historic Arcade Mall building was recently redeveloped into 48 units of housing. Half of them include a living area of 225 sqft and a monthly rent in the $700 to $800 range. Other units are larger and pricier. The developer reports that the smallest units are far more popular than the larger (and more expensive) units, attesting to the high demand for smaller and more affordable housing options. The success of this project is well documented in a popular video available on Youtube -see link below.