Boston's affordable housing

An interesting Boston Globe article on Massachusett's affordable housing law, "Chapter 40B" which is up for repeal.  Although I am not familiar with it, it sounds like an inclusionary zoning law. 

Chapter 40B is a state statute, which enables local Zoning Boards of Appeals to approve affordable housing developments under flexible rules if at least 20-25% of the units have long-term affordability restrictions

40B requires "affordability for households with incomes between 70% and 80% of the listed area (MSA) median income."  Assuming most housing units are priced for those at the top of  that limit, that means housing actually is pretty unafforable for very low-income households without other subsidies.  To their credit, the Chapater 40B website looks like it has resources for other subsidies.

Chapter 40B is credited with $9.25 billion in construction and related spending over the past ten years.

The (University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute) report, commissioned by a nonprofit group that supports the 1969 law known as Chapter 40B, also found that more than 21,000 housing units that are part of planned 40B developments would result in more than 54,300 jobs and another $10.42 billion in spending.

Polling prior to the Nov 2 election indicates that 56% are in favor of keeping the law.