Modern Zoning

NYT has an article about New England "3-Decker" homes being demolished due to foreclosure and disrepair. Boston is trying to preserve them because it would be illegal to rebuild the neighborhoods that currently exist.

Boston, home to roughly 15,000 three-deckers, is taking a different approach. It has not demolished any abandoned three-deckers because city officials want to preserve as many affordable housing units as possible, said Evelyn Friedman, chief and director of the Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development.

Modern zoning laws, Ms. Friedman said, would never allow three units on such small lots.

“If we have four three-deckers on 12,000 square feet and could only get two on that amount of land now,” Ms. Friedman said, “we are losing six units. So it’s very important to us to sustain them.”