Marlborough: Committee to discuss developers' request to pay $450K instead of marketing units as aff

[unhappycamper]

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20150713/NEWS/150718732/0/breaking_ajax

Marlborough: Committee to discuss developers' request to pay $450K instead of marketing units as affordable
By Jeff Malachowski/Daily News Staff
Posted Jul. 13, 2015 at 10:01 PM

MARLBOROUGH – The City Council Monday referred a request made by townhouse developers to pay the city $450,000 instead of marketing nine units as affordable to the Urban Affairs Committee.

City officials passed a zoning ordinance several years ago requiring developers building more than 20 housing units on a plot to designate 15 percent of those units as affordable to ensure the city complied with state law Chapter 40B. The law requires at least 10 percent of a community’s housing stock be affordable.

When the ordinance was passed, only 2 percent of the city’s housing was affordable. Marlborough is now well above the 10 percent threshold.

To be out of compliance with Chapter 40B, the city would have to construct 1,587 new housing units over the next five years, without any of them being affordable. The city constructed just over 900 new housing units the past five years.

[lostnfound]

1. Seems like a success story?

These units are mixed in with other homes, right?
More affordability, more blending of economic classes, and money into city coffers?
Tell me what I'm missing please. There's something...