The City of Watertown’s Draft 2026-2030 housing plan puts grim numbers on what we all see everyday. Over the last 5 years, the number of Watertown households that qualify for income-restricted Affordable housing has increased by 23 percent. Roughly 2 out every 5 Watertown households have an income low enough to qualify for Affordable Housing in Watertown, yet there isn’t nearly enough affordable housing for those who need it.
To be sure, many factors influence the cost of construction and the potential for affordable housing. Interest rates and federal trade policy play major roles, here and across the country. But we also have tools at our disposal here in Watertown. It’s time to take a hard look at the policies we do control — particularly our current zoning.
The reality is that in most places across the city, our zoning — the rules that dictate what can be built, where, and by what process — makes it impossibly difficult and expensive for new affordable housing projects to be built. In the few places where our zoning is more permissive, like in Watertown Square, along Arsenal Street, and along Pleasant Street, our policies force non-profit affordable housing developers to compete with well-funded national developers for scarce land.