Our Challenges
Why does housing cost so much in Brookline? Why does our Town have to pass regular tax overrides? Why are there so many unfilled potholes?
- Housing costs are too high because Brookline has chosen not to built enough new homes over the last 50 years.
- To minimize overrides to fund our schools and town services Brookline needs more commercial development.
Opportunities for Change
To fulfill Brookline’s vision of a fiscally sound, climate resilient, and inclusive community, Brookline needs to add compact housing in our business and commercial districts. By permitting housing and commercial development near public transit on our larger sites, Brookline will create opportunities for adding more homes at all price points; increase new tax revenue to fund our schools and municipal services; and support our climate goals.
New development takes years to plan, finance, design, build and permit. Every delay in permitting new mixed use development sets back our responses to the housing crisis and to climate change, inflates the cost of development, and adds years to when the Town realizes new tax revenue. Brookline must continue to develop concrete responses to our pressing challenges, and urgently pass land use changes that will implement our Vision 2040.
Brookline's Comprehensive Plan will be published and approved in Fall of 2026. Using the map associated with our Vision 2040 goals, we need to urgently develop and then pass the zoning changes necessary to:
- Expand Brookline's Housing Options
- Improve our Fiscal Wellbeing
- Create Livable Neighborhoods
- Sustain and Improve Community Wellbeing
- Promote Climate Action and Resiliency
- Enhance Mobility and Accessibility
- Support Thriving Commercial Areas
To accomplish these goals by 2040, Brookline's zoning and land use policies need to allow more housing and mixed use development. Rather than reinforcing our elite status as a wealthy suburb by maintaining our current restrictive zoning codes, we need to make it easier for underutilized areas to become complete neighborhoods, where a balance of housing, green space and businesses accessible via walking, biking and public transit create a human-scale economy where people of all ages and income levels can flourish.
Brookline for Everyone advocates for policies that prioritize developing livable neighborhoods with safe and affordable homes. Permitting compact mixed use development near transit actually increases the Town’s ability to preserve the public and private amenities we all share in Brookline, while also allowing all our neighbors, both renters and homeowners, access to healthy, affordable, and climate sustaining homes.
According to Brookline's Planning and Community Development Department, encouraging a mix of appropriate housing and commercial development across Brookline, especially on underutilized commercial lots near transit we can: increase housing affordability; tackle the climate crisis; support a welcoming and diverse community; ensure Brookline's schools continue to support our students' path towards educational excellence; and forge a creative and robust approach to economic development to increase funding for the services and community needs vital to all Town residents.
Brookline for Everyone believes abundant and affordable homes are essential to a vibrant, sustainable, thriving and welcoming community. Brookline’s diversity of activities and interests helps keep our Town vibrant, and supports our businesses and cultural institutions. And perhaps most important, we thrive best when our children can afford to raise their families near us, our seniors can age in place, and we welcome new neighbors at every income level.
Brookline has many studies that explore different zoning options to expedite mixed-use and commercial development on the large parcels. To achieve Brookline's Vision by 2040 we should use those studies to identify a number of opportunities for zoning upgrades, and allow Brookline to welcome more neighbors while also growing Town tax revenue.
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