Before reminding folks about the Town’s Juneteenth Block Party and the Chestnut Hill meeting, we want to condemn the violent anti-semitic attack in Brookline this weekend, when someone threw a brick labeled “Free Palestine” through the window of the Butcherie on Harvard Street. We join our Town government, many Town Meeting Members, and Representative Vitolo in condemning this act of hatred. This kind of behavior must never be tolerated or normalized.
In the spirit of coming together as a community, and to help counter hatred of all types, please join us in remembering the spark of hope represented by Juneteenth, a federal holiday celebrating the final, belated, and hard-fought end of slavery in the United States. Brookline for the Culture is hosting a Juneteenth Block Party to celebrate Black culture and continue the fight for justice today, on Thursday from 12 to 4 at Florida Ruffin Ridley School, 345 Harvard St. (Stedman St. entrance).
One very important meeting this week
- The Chestnut Hill Commercial Area Study Community Advisory Group met tonight.
This Study Area, along Route 9 near the Newton border, twenty yearsafter being prioritized for study, remains Brookline’s best opportunity for mixed-use development, including housing, retail, and commercial uses. But we fear that plans are getting bogged down. We urge the Town to move aggressively to allow mixed-use development that will make a significant annual contribution to our tax base. Only this kind of mixed-use development can provide the infusion of new tax revenue that helps fund our challenged budget while also adding housing. Public comments (with a three-minute limit) will be allowed, and we urge you to attend to learn more, and to make it clear that we need action this year, not 5 or 10 or 20 years from now.
We explain our position in greater detail here. If you missed the meeting and want to add your thoughts, please submit written comments to: Meredith Mooney, Economic Development Director, mmooney@brooklinema.gov.
Other events this week
Climate Action Resiliency Plan Public Forum #2: Tues., June 17th, 6:30-8:30 PM. IN-PERSON, at Florida Ruffin Ridley School, Multipurpose Room (Stedman St. Entrance, 11 Stedman St.). The DPW Division of Sustainability and Natural Resources continues to gather public input in the development of the 2025 Climate Action and Resiliency Plan.
On Friday, June 20, the Brookline Community Development Corporation (BCDC; www.brooklinecdc.com) is celebrating the groundbreaking of its preservation and climate-ready renovations at 154-156 Boylston Street from noon to 1:00 pm. Renovations include transitioning the building from fossil fuels to electricity, improving insulation, installing new heating and cooling systems and windows and making interior improvements to common areas. Brief remarks will be followed by light refreshments.
South Brookline biking survey
The Town has launched a survey to help identify the best biking connection between South Brookline and Brookline High School. You can fill it out here.
The final study will define the preferred route and recommend infrastructure changes to make the route comfortable for bicyclists of all ages and abilities. The “low-stress” bike connections that make up the route will be either separated from vehicle traffic (protected bike lanes) or link together low-traffic streets (neighborhood greenways).
If you want to learn a lot more about affordable housing
Our friends at the Citizens’ Housing & Planning Association (CHAPA) are again offering the Municipal Engagement Initiative’s Affordable Housing 101 training sessions. The next session will be Tuesday June 24th, 6:30pm to 8pm. You can register here. This training session is intended as a primer for anyone who wants to learn more about how affordable housing is produced, funded, and preserved in Massachusetts. It is free and open to the public. These sessions are not recorded. The topics covered include:
- Definitions of “Affordable Housing”
- Debunking housing myths
- Systemic racism and housing inequities
- Inclusionary Zoning
- Community Preservation Act
- Low Income Housing Tax Credit
- Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act
- MBTA Communities Law
- Transfer Fee
- Housing Production timeline
Save the Date: B4E Summer Garden Party on July 13
Join Brookline for Everyone for a Summer Garden Party on Sunday, July 13 from 2 – 5pm off Pleasant Street (exact address sent upon RSVP). Come celebrate a successful election campaign and relax after Spring Town Meeting. Bring a friend, grab a drink, and unwind with other pro-housing friends and neighbors. Families welcome. RSVP here!
Finally, food for thought
As we confront the danger that the much-needed Chestnut Hill West development might sink amid endless public meetings, here is a brief article, “Housing and the Pitfalls of Public Meetings” in Governing, examining the perils of a process that usually includes the old and not the young; owners and not renters; people who say no and not people who say yes.
Thanks, and have a great week,
Brian Ladd, on behalf of Brookline for Everyone