The City of Boston released a draft of its Neighborhood Housing Zoning Initiative, which proposes a simpler process for Boston homeowners hoping to make “small, sensible updates” to their homes.

If approved, the zoning amendment would impact Hyde Park, Roslindale and West Roxbury, with later phases reaching other neighborhoods.

Homeowners who wish to update their homes would simply need to apply for a permit from Inspectional Services and would no longer need to appear before the Zoning Board of Appeal. Currently, any addition from a wheelchair ramp to an additional bedroom must be brought before this board, a process many Boston residents find confusing and cumbersome.

“My wife and I bought our home almost a year ago, and when our family started expanding, we decided we didn’t really want to move. We loved our neighborhood. But we were hoping to add some additional bedrooms,” said Boston resident Emily in a social media video posted on the Boston Planning Department Instagram page. “We hired an architect who recommended taking our roof off and building up to add some additional square footage and from there, we’re told to find the general contractor to help guide the permit through the entire process. That’s where things seemed to get really confusing and complicated as laypeople who didn’t understand the city bureaucracy that had to do with us just trying to add an addition to our own home.”

The new zoning draft language specifically targets “reasonable” updates including porches, porticos, attic expansions, ADU construction, room addition, layout reconfiguration and accessibility improvements like ramps.

Residents now have the opportunity to provide feedback on the initiative before it continues through the legislative process.