Please come to a Public Hearing this Wednesday Dec 9, 6 PM in City Hall on 20% inclusionary zoning for all new developments of 6+ units
This Wednesday, you can actively support more affordable housing in Somerville! Come speak out for or just show up at a Public Hearing about an inclusionary zoning proposal to increase from 12 1/2% to 20% the percentage of apartments in new developments (minimum 6 units) that must be permanently affordable. Anyone will be allowed to speak for 2 minutes to this joint meeting of the Board of Aldermen Land Use Committee and the Planning Board. It is very important to show decision-makers in Somerville strong support for at least 20% of all new apartments being affordable. If you can’t attend, or prefer not to speak in public, you can email your comments to planning@somervillema.gov and BoardofAldermen@somervillema.
Fred Berman, a Ward 5 resident and expert on affordable housing, wrote a terrific 1½-page letter that sums up what this new zoning aims to do and why it is so important now: http://somervillecityma.
4 comments:
Somerville is trending toward where and when affordable rental housing for blue collar/middle class family units will no longer be affordable.
Only the well-to-do income level families and individuals (with the emphasis on professional and semi-professional individuals) and poverty level subsidized welfare families and individuals will be able to live here.
It's happening as we speak and will continue to happen.
Blue collar people with family roots in Somerville, going back generations, can no longer afford to live here.
My neighborhood is a prime example of the blue collar "flight" out of town family units.
It's not only midddle class blue collar rental people being forced out of Somerville, but another element of residents, albeit not being forced out, are long term and generational homeowners.
Why? They have seen their property escalate in value; and between the higher taxes and the sale prices of homes at a high level never seen before in Somerville that developers, speculators, and others, are willing to pay, these home owners, driven by profit and greed, are selling out. Getting high prices for their run of the mill houses in working class neighborhoods never before seen in Somerville.
And where are these sellers buying and moving to?
Not Somerville!!!!
They are going to Woburn, Stoneham, Burlington, Billerica etc....and yes, Medford too.
Then, once in Somerville, these buyers, will get still higher prices for rents and/or developed condos.
Another aspect to what is happening in Somerville impacting those middle class long term home owners and renters; who want to stay in Somerville.
Due to house and land values in old time neighborhoods escalating to levels never seen before and selling at these higher levels, other homeowners in these neighborhoods who would like to stay in Somerville are seeing their properties being assessed, and taxed at a higher valued level. The assesors enhanced values keeping pace with what is going on with the higher selling prices in the neighborhoods and city.
Which, of course, is passed on to the renters in the form of rent increases.
A good example is a neighbor of mine who bought their nice single family house in Somervile a few years ago for $325,000.00
Assessed tax value jumped to $400.00.00.
They recently sold it for $5,500.00.
Bought a similar house in Burlington for $350,000.00
Do the math!!
No wonder people are moving out of Somerville.
The mayor, every chance he gets, keeps talking about how Somerville, and quality of life in Somerville is moving forward; as opposed to the old days when Somerville was called "Slumerville" by some critics.
But what he, with the co-operation of his crowd and cronies has done, and continues to advocate, is to replace the old days problems with scenarios that displace long term residents.
Ever wonder why back in the 1930's, 1940's and early 50's, Somerville's total population was approximately 102,000.00
Then the most densely populated city for its size, in the country.
Now we hover around 77.000.00.
Also wonder why, with all the new taxable properties in Somerville such as Assembly Square, newly built multi-unit condos, and other new taxable entitities.....why our taxes keep going up??????
"Quality of life" improving for people living in Somerville!?!?
True-----but only for those who can afford to buy or rent here if things continue to go as they currently are.
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