I wanted to share some links I put together as sort of a primer on why progressives should and do care about housing, both affordable and in general.
For those who would like to better understand the progressive roots of the movement to allow more housing, I would suggest some reading as you’re making your decision on the Northland question.
Links to Better Understand the Housing Debate:
If you’re up for a full book, The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein does a really good job explaining the racial history of exclusionary zoning.
Barack Obama just yesterday shared this NY Times article about housing.
The Greater Boston Housing Report Card found that Newton ranks low in Housing Affordability, Diversity, and and Production.
Citylab’s excellent explanation of how even luxury apartments reduce rents elsewhere.
NY Times article explaining why housing policy is climate policy and that denser housing near cities is one of the most effect ways to reduce carbon pollution.
Newton’s own Amy Dain gives a local flavor to the impacts of zoning. (And her excellent housing study is available here)
Finally, here’s a Boston Foundation Report (covered by WGBH) I want to quote, just to put a finer point on the importance of multi-family housing:
“We find very explicitly that communities that built a greater share of multifamily housing per capita saw a decrease in racial segregation,” she said. “It’s not just, build more [luxury and single family] housing and we’re gonna address the segregation issue. … It’s really about building different types of housing and affordable housing in those suburban communities. That’s going to move the dial.”
Bryan –
Thank you for taking the time to curate this compelling list of research and articles on why building more housing is so critical to many issues facing Newton.
I would add a missing component. Senior housing. We have not nearly enough housing in Newton that will work well for seniors as they age (is accessible, low maintenance, more affordable, car-free) that will all them to live independently and still engaged lives.
@Alicia – if you have a good link I’m happy to update the post! I really tried to take the emotion around Northland out of it and give people some general principles and historical roots that got us here.
No one is against housing. They’re against mega-luxury developments that are not transit oriented.
Here’s a couple links for folks on our current traffic nightmare. Coming to a street near you if all of these developments are fully built out!!!!
https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2019/08/08/congestion-report/
https://www.boston25news.com/news/yearlong-traffic-congestion-study-released/974165786/
https://apps.bostonglobe.com/metro/investigations/spotlight/2019/11/19/seeing-red/boston-traffic-stuck-politics/?new
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/11/22/what-learned-from-spotlight-report-traffic-and-commuting/ug1OBsWInjF3gAfcbEr1yL/story.html
@Arthur – I agree with all of that. Lets fix congestion and public transportation. None of the links you posted in any way suggest that building housing like Austin St or Northland is even a tiny part of the overall cause of the problem.
There is, however, significant evidence, as you will see in the articles I post, that it can be part of the solution.
A book that came highly recommended to me: “Capital City: Gentrification and the Real Estate State” by Samuel Stein. Verso Press; 2019
“Political Leftists call themselves “progressives” as a form of self-praise, an assertion that their politics represent a higher consciousness than the prejudices of the mob of unthinking deplorables and will lead mankind to a sunny upland where human nature will transcend its baser impulses, and peace and harmony will reign.”
https://www.city-journal.org/political-leftists-progressives
Northland sure pulled the wool over Newton’s eyes by convincing so many, that their land grab is somehow for the greater good. They’ve even weaponized the word progressive!
I’m starting a new PAC, “Progressives Against the Destruction of Our Villages” (PADOV). 😉