As January draws to a close, we’ve got an important step in supporting new homes near transit on Harvard Street and look forward to opportunities to see each other in-person in the coming months. Let’s dive right in.
Action Item No. 1: Urge the Select Board to support the Planning Department’s proposal to comply with the MBTA Communities Act with funding to develop new form-based zoning guidelines for Harvard Street. The Select Board will be meeting on Tuesday, January 31 at 6pm (register here) and will be hearing a presentation from Planning Director Kara Brewton and Senior Planner Maria Morelli to request funding for a form-based zoning consultant. As we’ve referenced in previous emails, Brookline has a December 31, 2023 deadline to comply with the state MBTA communities guidelines, and this consultant is a crucial step in that process. The Planning Department’s proposal, as it exists today, is to rezone Harvard Street to allow housing and commercial development by-right. You can make your voice heard either by emailing the Select Board via Devon Fields at dfields@brooklinema.gov, or by attending the meeting and speaking during the public comment period at 6pm. You can take a look at the Brookline for Everyone letter here for ideas and language for your own letter. Community support for the Planning Department’s request is important for moving the proposal forward, so we hope you’ll take a few minutes to submit even a short email.
Action Item No. 2: SAVE THE DATE(S)! Brookline for Everyone is very excited to announce two upcoming, in-person events.
- Brookline’s 2023 MBTA Communities Kickoff co-hosted with Abundant Housing Massachusetts will be on Tuesday, February 28 at 6:30pm at Hops N Scotch. Join us to hear a bit about zoning for MBTA Communities compliance, but, more importantly, to connect and share a drink with pro-housing neighbors and friends. Watch for an official invite with how to RSVP coming soon!
- On Monday, March 27 at 6pm, join Brookline for Everyone at the Brookline Booksmith for an evening with Boston University political science professor Katherine Einstein as she discusses lessons from her book Neighborhood Defenders: Participatory Politics and America’s Housing Crisis, as well as some of her favorite recent works on housing and urban policy. Stay tuned for more details and how to RSVP.
Action Item No. 3: Brookline’s local May election is just around the corner, and candidates for Select Board, Town Meeting, and more are gathering signatures and developing outreach plans. Brookline for Everyone is working on our May electoral strategy, too, and we need your help! Are you interested in running for local office? Do you want to help with our campaign strategy, door knocking efforts, phone banking, or any other electoral ideas and tactics? Let us know! We’ve already heard from folks wanting to help, but we can always use more hands and energy. And if you’re in position to do so, consider donating to our election efforts either by check or electronically via ActBlue.
Thanks and have a great week,
Jeff Wachter, on behalf of Brookline for Everyone