CommunityScale kicks off a housing needs assessment in Fall River, Massachusetts

January 19, 2024

SOLUTIONS

CommunityScale has kicked off a comprehensive housing market analysis for Fall River, Massachusetts as part of the Route 79-Davol Street Corridor Improvements project, a transformative initiative to reshape the city’s waterfront. The corridor work will convert an existing highway into a multi-modal urban boulevard, improving connectivity, safety, and mobility while creating new development parcels and open spaces. CommunityScale’s analysis will help shape the housing program for those parcels and inform the broader master planning effort along the Fall River waterfront.

CommunityScale is excited to announce the kickoff of a comprehensive housing market analysis project that is part of the Route 79-Davol Street Corridor Improvements project and master planning process aimed at transforming Fall River’s waterfront and housing market.

The Route 79-Davol Street Corridor Improvements project is a transformative urban development initiative. It aims to convert the existing highway into a multi-modal urban boulevard, thereby enhancing connectivity, safety, and mobility along the corridor. Its features include the creation of new development parcels and open spaces, a reduction in travel lanes, and the addition of sidewalks and shared use paths, coupled with significant infrastructural upgrades. The planning for this project commenced in 2014, with construction expected to take place from 2023 to 2026.

Complementing this infrastructural development, CommunityScale’s housing market analysis is a strategic effort to understand and address the evolving housing needs in the area. The analysis begins with a comprehensive review of existing housing-related planning documents. This step is crucial for setting clear objectives and aligning the analysis with these goals. The project then moves into a detailed data analysis phase, focusing on developing a comprehensive community profile, a refined housing preference model, and targeted demand projections. This phase is characterized by the use of both national datasets and local city-specific data to ensure precision and relevance.

The analysis further aims to establish well-defined housing production targets. This involves a multifaceted examination of the housing market, focusing on affordability challenges, demographic changes, and regional market opportunities. The goal is to create a strategic balance that meets the community’s needs while capitalizing on market potential.

In parallel, CommunityScale is conducting a thorough audit of existing zoning regulations and undertaking a baseline site data inventory and mapping. These efforts are integral to creating a comprehensive approach that supports vibrant, equitable, and sustainable urban development in Fall River.

For more detailed information about the Route 79-Davol Street Corridor Improvements project, you can visit the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s official page.