BRA Approves Building at Senior Complex Despite Opposition

BOSTON-Despite local residents’ opposition to a B’nai Brith plan to build a nine-story, 42-unit building right near its Covenant House senior housing complex here in the neighborhood of Brighton, the Boston Redevelopment Authority approved the expansion.

For this city, that sorely needs additional housing, this project is a perfect fit. But at a meeting held by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, local activists complained that the expansion is too large for the 1.2-acre site, reportedly stating that there would not be room for parking and that the project would add too much density in a neighborhood that is crowded already. Residents also felt that there was not enough of a community review process on the project.

But the residents probably do not have much recourse, especially in this case in which Covenant House is designated as a 121A development. This means that local zoning is not part of the development’s process, which means that the BRA’s approval is essentially all the project needs to give it a green light.