In Somerville, triple-deckers are mounting a comeback

By Greg Ryan • Published September 6, 2024 • Updated on September 6, 2024 at 11:57 am

The number of applications to create three-unit homes has surged in Somerville. One builder has applied to gut and rebuild a two-unit residence on Springfield Street into a three-family.

The triple-decker is making a comeback in Somerville.

In November, the city loosened the rules around the construction of three-family homes as part of its plan to comply with the MBTA Communities law. The buildings proliferated around Greater Boston in the late 1800s and early 1900s, offering up affordable housing to immigrants and working-class families. But a century or so ago, many places banned or limited their construction, often in a bid to keep out those same groups.

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