| 
Amid neighborhood concerns about gentrification, the Boston Planning and Development Agency board approved the new version of Samuels & Assoc.’s massive Dot Block project on April 11.
The project near the Savin Hill Red Line stop was originally OK’d in 2016 with 362 units of housing and 37,000 square feet of retail space, but developers had to revamp their plans once they were unable to land a grocery store tenant. The new plan calls for 488 residential units, including 66 income-restricted units and 96 microhousing units, and 23,000 square feet of retail across four new buildings between 4 and 6 stories. The 3.94-acre site will ultimately host 418,000 square feet of development.
Half of the 66 income-restricted units will be set aside as Neighborhood Diversity Preservation Preference units, meaning preference will be given to current residents of the surrounding community. In addition, Samules & Assoc. told the BPDA it is committed to opening an office nearby where neighborhood residents may complete and receive assistance on their applications for the income-restricted units.
The project was targeted by neighborhood and affordable housing activists who said it would encourage nearby landlords to raise rents, and criticized the city for not requiring more than 13.5 percent of its units be set aside as affordable housing.
“New developments should have true affordability that matches the needs and incomes of the neighborhood. Anything else is planned displacement of current residents,” Lori Hurlebaus, spokesman for the Dorchester Not For Sale group, said in a statement.
