Mattapan Additional Dwelling Unit Test Fits
DREAM worked well on a tight deadline to help support zoning for ADUs in Mattapan, working flexibly and collaboratively with in-house staff to inform both improved zoning recommendations and the illustration of that zoning for the public.
Focusing on Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood, DREAM Collaborative helped the BPDA test and refine their Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU) policy and update their small-scale residential zoning districts to support infill housing.
ADUs can boost housing supply without major changes to neighborhood character. For homeowners, ADUs can provide important alternative housing for extended family, an additional source of income, and even offer wealth-building potential. However, zoning must be carefully considered in order to reduce the risk of displacement and gentrification.
DREAM created dozens of site plans and 3D models in order to evaluate a large array of ADU typologies and lot size combinations. In considering the placement and scale of new ADUs, DREAM helped vet emergency access requirements and recommended refinements to zoning parameters.
