We want to start with a big THANK YOU to the Brookline for Everyone Team who staffed our Brookline Day table today in Coolidge Corner. Despite the rain the event was a grand success, both for the Town and for B4E, where we had lots of opportunities to connect and chat with folks about the importance of building more homes, how the high cost of housing in Brookline is impacting people’s day-to-day lives, and the important opportunity that the Town has in front of us to add new housing along Harvard Street as part of the Select Board’s “consensus proposal” for meaningful compliance with the MBTA Communities Act. For more detailed information about MBTA-CA, check out the Yes! In Brookline website, and if you haven’t done so already, sign up here to join the YIB Coalition.
Town Board and Committee Meetings. We want to highlight three meetings this week that may be of interest.
- The Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB) holds their regular monthly meeting on Monday, Sept. 11, at 7:00 pm (register here). Their agenda includes a discussion (scheduled from 7:05-7:30) with State Representative Tommy Vitolo on the Town’s plans compliance with the MBTA Communities Act, particularly of the proposed mandate for ground floor commercial (including retail) along Harvard Street.
- Addressing the same topic of ground floor commercial development, the Select Board meets on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 5:00 pm in the Select Board Hearing Room on the 6th floor of Town Hall, with hybrid participation via Zoom (register here). The meeting begins with an Executive Session (from which the public is excluded) and some other ministerial business, but starting around 7:00 pm they will discuss the Fall Town Meeting, including the possibility of adjusting the existing MBTA-CA proposal to mandate ground floor commercial along the entire Harvard Corridor (rather than only in some selected areas, as it does now). All this is a little bit in the weeds for some, but if you have been following this topic and want more detail, you can tune in to the Select Board’s discussion. Agenda/info here.
- Then, on Wednesday morning (Sept. 13) at 8:30-9:30 am, the Planning Board will get an update from the Planning Process Study Committee, which will present a proposed Request for Proposals (RFP) to assist Brookline’s preparation of its next Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan is expected to be a two-year process, including community engagement and led by a consultant team, to develop a vision for the future of our community along with implementation goals, strategies, and objectives to make that vision a reality. The RFP, which you can review here, is full of useful background information about Brookline, provides potential consultants with guiding principles for the planning process, and lays out four planning phases with milestones and deliverables.
Brookline Community Development Corporation Updates. BCDC (formerly known as the Brookline Improvement Coalition, or BIC) is Brookline’s local community development corporation, whose mission is to create and preserve affordable homes, foster community leadership, and assist families in need. We have three important updates from BCDC:
- First, check out their shiny new website here. You will find lots of information about their purpose, mission and programs.
- Next, mark your calendar for Saturday, October 14, at 6:30-10:00 pm their first ever Gala Fundraiser to celebrate progress over the last two years and the collective efforts of Brookline’s vibrant, diverse community. From BCDC’s President, Deborah Brown: “Bring your dancing shoes and good cheer!” You can find more information and register here.
- Finally, BCDC is pleased to announce that they have received an allocation of Massachusetts Community Investment Tax Credits, which provide donors with a 50% (fully refundable) tax credit through the State of Massachusetts. That means a donor can make a $1,000 donation to BCDC (which is the minimum for the program) and then get a $500 credit, so that the net cost is only $500. For more information about this great way to double your contribution, contact Interim Executive Director Bob Van Meter at info@brooklinecdc.com.
Save the Date. On Monday, October 2, at 7:00 pm, the GBIO/Brookline Housing Team will be hosting an “Education and Training” meeting at Temple Sinai, 50 Sewall Ave., near Coolidge Corner, to learn details about Brookline’s plan for meaningful compliance with the MBTA-CA in Brookline, including specific training on and how you can help get the plan approved by Town Meeting in November. The meeting will be in-person, with a hybrid/zoom option. Watch this space next week for registration information.
What we’re watching. While only indirectly related to Brookline housing, this week we strongly recommend the WGBH/PBS American Experience broadcast of The Busing Battleground: The Decades-Long Road to School Desegregation, which will be broadcast Monday night (Sept. 11) at 9:00-11:00 pm. This powerful film is about the drive to desegregate the Boston Public Schools, starting in the 1950s and continuing through the busing fiasco of 1974-1975, and goes well beyond the existing narratives about busing by exploring the 20 years of activism that preceded the formal de-segregation of Boston’s schools and the violence that ensued. You can find more information and the trailer here.
Finally, we wish all who celebrate Rosh Hashanah (which begins Friday evening) a New Year filled with Good Health, Joy and Justice!
Jonathan Klein, on behalf of Brookline for Everyone