We hope you’ve been enjoying our recent series of data-driven essays on planning and policy — if you’ve missed them, you can find them at newsletter.somervilleyimby.org. Our next piece will take a look at what happens when a single lot in a typical Somerville neighborhood is redeveloped.
This week, be sure to fill out Mayor-elect Jake Wilson’s community engagement survey as he prepares to take office and hit the ground running next month. This survey will help determine priorities and goals for the new administration, so be sure your voice is heard!
Get Involved: Elections and Rent Stabilization
Our working groups on elections and rent stabilization are both still in the process of forming, and should have their initial meetings in the next week or so. If you’d like to join, please drop by our Discourse forum and let us know. The working groups will begin meeting this month.
Events
December 2: Community Meeting, 1 Washington Street. Learn about a proposal for 10 apartments at 1 Washington Street. 6:30 pm, online via Zoom.
December 2: Historic Commission. The entire city is invited to weigh in on someone’s application for a permit to replace their front door. 6:45 pm, online via Zoom.
December 4: Planning Board. Agenda includes apartments at 379 Somerville Ave, pre-submittal meeting policies, and a Pilates studio on Broadway seeking a special permit to open in a new retail space. (City Council just recently met to look for ways to reduce retail vacancies, but we require extra review for this one?)
December 5: Somerville YIMBY Monthly Social. Join our family-friendly meetup for casual conversation. 6-8 pm, in person at Remnant Brewing in Bow Market.
December 9: Book reading and discussion: Bittersweet Lane. All She Wrote Books and Connexion United Methodist Church host author Jamie Madden, who will read from and discuss his book “Bittersweet Lane: Creating Home(s) in the American Affordable Housing Crisis.” Ward 3 councilor Ben Ewen-Campen moderates. 6:30 pm, in person at Connexion, 149 Broadway.
As always, you can find our calendar at somervilleyimby.org/calendar. Please email [email protected] if you know of an event we should add!
Recommended
Note: If you don’t have a subscription, you can access many news websites for free through the Somerville Public Library website.
Plus: a University of Hawai’i research working paper tracking the economic impact of a single new condo building in Honolulu. Conclusion: “new condominium construction eases supply constraints and expands affordability in a local housing market, and the contrast between market-rate and income-restricted units has important implications for inclusionary zoning policies.”
Also: From 2019, but especially relevant to this year’s holiday shopping season: closing central Madrid to cars resulted in a 9.5% increase in retail spending.