The big news on the election front is that Sen. Ed Markey has endorsed Willie Burnley Jr. — and early voting is on now! Be sure to vote this week or next Tuesday. Check hours and locations at somervillema.gov/elections.
Canvassing with Jon Link (left) and Ben Wheeler (2nd from left)
We hope you’ll join us for the last few days of the campaign season to help get out the vote for:
Mayor: Willie Burnley, Jr.
At-Large: Scott Istvan
At-Large: Jon Link
At-Large: Will Mbah
At-Large: Ben Wheeler
Ward 5: Naima Sait
Ward 7: Emily Hardt
Starter Homes Ballot Measure Deadline
The Legalize Starter Homes initiative needs to get thousands of signatures by November 19 to get on the ballot. This measure, which requires cities and towns to allow building on smaller lots, will help reduce “snob zoning” and boost regional efforts to address the housing shortage. If you haven’t signed yet, learn how to print a form at home at legalizestarterhomes.com/sign-the-petition.
Note: Whether you sign this for someone out canvassing or by mail, be sure your legal name and address are legible. The signature won’t count if it doesn’t match your voter registration.
Events
November 4: Election Day!
November 5: Zoning Board of Appeals — In our last newsletter, we linked to an letter from the mayor emphasizing the importance of making it easier to install electrical transformers. Tonight, the city’s permitting process will underscore why that reform is so necessary. 6:00 pm, online via Zoom.
November 6: Land Use/Planning Board Joint Meeting — Agenda includes reducing pre-submittal meeting requirements and improving the the city’s notoriously cumbersome permit application process. 6:30 pm, online via Zoom.
November 7: Somerville YIMBY Monthly Social — Join us for an election debrief and a pint at Remnant Brewing in Bow Market, 6:00 pm.
November 12: Somerville YIMBY Monthly Meeting — Presentation of a new plan for development in the Union Square D6 block, post-election plans, and more. 6:00 pm, online via Zoom.
November 17: 307-309 Highland Ave Community Meeting — Learn about a proposal to build new housing without demolishing existing buildings. 6:00 pm, online via Zoom.
November 19: Streetwise Presents Transportation Trivia — The Streetwise event series has been running for ten whole years now, and they’re celebrating with a trivia night and some great prizes! 7:30 pm at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler Street.
Recommended
Note: If you don’t have a subscription, you can access many news websites for free through the Somerville Public Library website.
New Data Shows How Infrequently Mass. Moves: Banker & Tradesman covers the way that high prices lead to reduced mobility within the state.
Renters Have the Upper Hand. And They Are Probably Keeping It: In Denver, Austin, and other high-growth cities, new apartments have lowered prices and forced landlords to make concessions to attract and keep tenants.
Denver study shows removing parking requirements results in more affordable housing being built: More good news from Denver shows that parking reforms like the ones we’ve passed in Somerville are an effective way to increase affordability. It makes sense: parking is expensive, so requiring less of it can lower costs.
How many homes are we actually building? Boston Indicators reports that while previously permitted buildings are still arriving on the market, new permits show an ominous slowdown.
Zoning Lessons for Housing Affordability: Cambridge Community Television (CCTV) video recording of our recent panel discussion.
Eversource Heat Pump Rate Application: Heat pumps are an environmental sustainability upgrade, and now you can get a discount for using one!
Jon Stewart interview with Zohran Mamdani: The NYC mayoral candidate visits The Daily Show to talk about housing affordability, public safety, and more.