Photos from 1984 by Bill Dain; photos from 2015 by Amy Dain. TAKE OUT YOUR MAGNIFYING GLASS for a moment. You might need it to see some of changes in Newtonville since I was a kid. The annual jazzy Newtonville Day that takes over part of Walnut Street for an afternoon is new. Carolyn’s Sweets […]
Housing
Posted inOpinion
Getting used to the political brushoff
AFTER THE SPEECHES were over at a recent event, I walked over to say hello to one of state’s most prominent elected officials. He’s someone I have known for many years. As I approached, he smiled broadly and reached out his hand, saying, “Mayor, how are you?” After exchanging pleasantries, I asked for an opportunity […]
Posted inOpinion
Affordable housing at risk
Solving the Massachusetts affordable housing crisis will not be possible unless we preserve existing housing as well as produce new homes. Given the housing production constraints Massachusetts faces, losing even one unit of our current affordable housing stock strains an already-overburdened system. Massachusetts is on the verge of losing thousands of units of affordable housing […]
Posted inThe Download
On housing supply, the more things change…
To understand what holds back the state’s economy, and what causes young families who are otherwise drawn to Massachusetts life to flee for greener pastures, check out this piece by Jay Fitzgerald from the Sunday Globe. The biggest threat to the state’s economy is not taxes and business regulation but the sky-high cost of housing, […]
Posted inOpinion
The state should encourage accessory apartments
TEN YEARS AGO, I did a study of zoning regulations in the 187 communities within 50 miles of Boston. I wanted to find out if our region was allowing for diverse types of housing to be built. Single family homes are not for everyone. It turned out that the greater Boston area is highly restrictive […]
Posted inUncategorized
Lawrence facing housing crisis, report says
A NEW REPORT suggests Lawrence is facing a major housing crisis, with property values low, rents high, and new construction failing to keep pace with population increases. The study, funded by six public and private organizations, was designed to give policymakers in Lawrence a sense of key housing trends. On almost every front, the trends […]
Posted inHealth Care, Opinion
Dealing with chronic homelessness
IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, the city of Boston put the finishing touches on a new shelter for 400 homeless individuals on South Hampton Street and announced a bold homelessness triage system. Mayor Martin Walsh and city officials should be applauded for their swift and comprehensive response to the emergency closure of the Long Island […]
Posted inEconomy, The Download
Fair housing laws just got fairer
It got crowded out of the news by the blockbuster decisions on health care (issued the same day) and same-sex marriage (issued the following day), but an important Supreme Court ruling on a Texas housing case also reverberated widely — and showed a more liberal side to the court. The case centered on a challenge […]
Posted inEducation, Opinion
The failure of public assistance
Democrats and Republicans alike have fought for and voted to support programs and funding to provide assistance to our most vulnerable citizens. The intention of this support was always to provide those in need with a temporary helping hand. For citizens who found themselves out of work, temporary unemployment benefits were provided. For those who […]
Posted inEconomy
Baker pushes family homelessness program
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER says he plans to make a big dent in the number of homeless Massachusetts families by taking $20 million now being used for shelter and hotel-motel stays and redirecting the funds to services that will keep families in their own homes or steer them to housing in their own communities. Baker is […]