First residents moving into 28 Austin Street in September, public parking opens soon
Austin Street Partners shared this in their email newsletter today.. If you’ve been away for the summer, you might not have noticed but construction is wrapping up on Austin Street with finishing touches still being placed on the landscaped plaza, playground,...Mixed use project proposed along the Charles River in Nonantum
A new mixed use 40B development has been proposed for a site just off California Street in Nonantum along the Charles River next to Forte Park. The Riverdale project would include 204 units of apartments, including 51 that are classified as “affordable,” along with...Fuller acknowledges Newton’s ‘poor grades on a housing report card’
This just in from Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s weekly email newsletter …
The Boston Foundation recently released its Greater Boston Housing Report Card 2019 looking at housing affordability and housing production in the 147 cities and towns in the five counties surrounding Boston.
We’re expensive. More specifically, the Report found that metro-Boston, which includes Newton, is one of the nation’s most expensive places to buy (4th in the U.S.) or rent (3rd in the U.S.). The authors highlighted that the limited supply of housing stock and high cost contributes to persistent racial segregation.
The Report evaluated each city and town. Newton had low scores except for
Globe: 15 communities help address housing crisis (spoiler: Newton not on list)
From Sunday’s Boston Globe…
A recent report highlighting the need for more local housing production found that from 2013 to 2017, 15 municipalities issued more than half the building permits in the state. Boston led the way, followed by Cambridge, Plymouth, Watertown, Everett, Weymouth, Somerville, Burlington, Chelsea, Framingham, Hopkinton, Middleborough, Quincy, Arlington, and Canton.
and here’s a key quote:
The recent report “demonstrates the power that local communities have to
Report: Newton ranks low in housing affordability, diversity, production
Scott Souza at Patch summarizes the findings of Boston Foundation’s Greater Boston Housing Report Card related to Newton..
Newton ranks below the eastern Massachusetts average in housing production, diversity of housing and affordability, according to The Boston Foundation’s Greater Boston Housing Report Card released on Wednesday. The report graded 147 cities and towns based on
TAB letter writer: How can Right Size claim they are ‘not NIMBY’?
Sa rah Luria writes in the TAB.. … their claim that they are not invoking NIMBY became less credible at the Land Use Committee Meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, June 25, when they offered a 100 percent negative response to Mark Development’s proposal and...City Charter Canard
With Zoning Redesign and a request to rezone Riverside Station in the news, a false rumor is once again making the rounds. Specifically, the word on the street is that if the City Council amends the Zoning Code or rezones a particular parcel, voters can override the...WGBH explores Newton’s density debate
From WGHB reporter Craig LeMoultAt a public hearing in Newton last week on a proposal for a huge new housing and commercial development, some community members who spoke said they see density as a solution to the city’s housing problems. Dense housing, these residents said, creates a more vibrant community atmosphere, enables more use of mass transit, and helps reduce the city’s impact on climate change.But for others, even those who want to see more
Trump program would provide more money for low income Newton renters
The Globe’s Adrian Walker writes “you will be surprised as I am by this” and uses Newton as an example of a community where larger subsidies for low-income families would make it easier to rent here.Do you agree that Metropolitan Boston has a housing crisis? Yes or no?
Just about everyone agrees Metropolitan Boston has a housing crisis.
That’s the opening line in a new study the Globe described as the first comprehensive review of zoning laws in Eastern Massachusetts in more than a decade.
Then the report’s continues….
We just surpassed New York City to become the third most expensive large metro rental market in the country. Single-family and condo prices have continued to climb, with median sale prices of nearly $430,000 across the entire metro area, a 4 percent increase since the end of 2017. Renters are being hit with rent increases and evictions, causing housing instability, displacement, and homelessness. In fact, throughout Massachusetts, one out of every four renters – and even one out of every ten
RightSize called out for politicizing Porch Fest
Organizers of Saturday’s Porch Fest and at least some of their hosts are peeved that the anti-development group RightSize Riverside have been trying to politicize the event. Here’s an email organizers sent today.
Dear PorchFest hosts:
You may have received “RightSize Riverside” flyers this afternoon with a note encouraging you to distribute them at PorchFest.We did not provide your contact information to the RightSize Riverside organization! It appears as if the Right Size Riverside obtained the addresses of all PorchFest hosts from the published map and brochure and elected to drop off flyers without our approval.We feel very strongly that PorchFest is all about music and community. We received several