We hope everyone’s 2024 is off to a good start, your resolutions are still going strong, and folks have been able to stay warm and dry on this messy, snowy day. This time of year is great for planning for the future, and our highlights this week tend to stick to this idea.
Looking Forward to the May Town Elections
As we look toward the May election season and all the great pro-housing work we can achieve, we know one of the most important steps we can take is to elect pro-housing candidates to Town Meeting every May. To make this happen, we need great candidates, and we think YOU should be that candidate! We’re going to be hosting a couple of info sessions in the coming weeks on running for Town Meeting. If you think you might be interested, or are curious to learn more, sign up here so you’ll be first to get all the details. And if a one-on-one conversation is more your speed, we’re happy to connect that way as well!
Select Board Discussions on Incentivizing Affordable Homes through Zoning and Commercial Linkage Fees
The Select Board will have presentations and discussions on two noteworthy topics related to housing, zoning, and economic development at their meeting on Tuesday, January 9. The Select Board will be considering a Housing Advisory Board recommendation (see details here) to allocate $50,000 from the Housing Trust for the Affordable Housing Overlay District Study Committee to explore the potential for “incentivizing affordable units through zoning.” There are a lot of ideas for how Brookline can get more income-restricted homes for folks making less than median income, and funding an in-depth analysis on the topic will allow a more informed discussion on the pros and cons of these ideas. Economic Development Director Meredith Mooney will present the current state of a study on linkage fees, which would create a fee on new commercial development to help subsidize affordable housing. Based on the available materials, this is sure to be an interesting discussion. (Times aren’t noted on the agenda, but they’re somewhat later on the agenda, likely after 6pm.) View the agenda here or sign up for the Zoom here.
Webinar with Professor Don Shoup on The High Cost of Free Parking
Don Shoup is one of the great evangelists against car-centric planning and in favor of both minimizing and appropriately pricing parking in our cities. Shoup will join Gil Penalosa, city consultant focusing on creating vibrant and healthy communities for all, for a free webinar on Tuesday, January 9th at 11am titled “The High Cost of Free Parking: 10 Parking Reforms for Healthier Cities and a Cooler Planet.” This is sure to be an excellent discussion, and if you haven’t heard Professor Shoup before, I strongly recommend carving out the time. Find out more and register here!