Great day at the @abundanthousingma.org Housing Symposium. Learned a ton from pro-housing activists and organizers from across the state, and it was a pleasure to hear from @kimdriscollma.bsky.social and @jamellebouie.net.

Top 10 US cities with the smallest share of workers commuting by driving alone: —Hoboken NJ —Cambridge MA —New York NY —Jersey City NJ —Berkeley CA —Washington DC —Brookline MA —San Francisco CA —West New York NJ —Somerville MA www.thetransportpolitic.com/databook/us-...

"The United States is turning 250. Everything we want for the next 50 years starts with fixing housing... Building enough homes, of the right kind, and in the right places is a prerequisite for economic opportunity and growth." www.vox.com/the-highligh...

America’s housing was built for a world we no longer live in

The United States is turning 250. Everything we want for the next 50 years starts with fixing housing.

vox.com

Report from Andrew Mikula detailing MA's mismatch between housing stock & demographics: most households are now 1 or 2 people, yet small homes are in short supply. We need to encourage townhomes, condos, small apts, & ADUs by reducing zoning & regulatory barriers, particularly in high-cost areas.

We see this over and over - create an environment where people can build a lot of housing, quickly, and watch the power shift toward renters. Landlords raise rent when renters don't have other options. Let's legalize a lot more homes throughout the Boston-metro so people aren't forced to move away!

Is it a renter's market? It depends on where you live

About 40% of rentals on Zillow offer move-in deals, like a month of free rent, thanks to a construction boom that created an apartment surplus in some parts of the United States.

npr.org

Happy Election Day, Brookline! Come on out and vote YES for Brookline, elect Amanda and Anthony to the Select Board, elect Faiza, Suzanne, and Laura for School Committee, and vote Marissa, Amy and Chris for Library Trustee!

Polls are open in Brookline! Vote YES on 1, Zimmerman and Buono for Select Board, and Town Meeting candidates who are pro-housing, pro-schools, and pro-climate. See our full endorsements list here. Invite your friends and neighbors to come out and vote too!

B4E 2026 Candidate Endorsements - Brookline for Everyone

Brookline for Everyone advocates for housing policies that promote economic diversity, environmental sustainability, and racial inclusion in our Town.

brooklineforeveryone.com

This piece highlights an exciting state effort we’ve been following to modernize MA's building codes by studying whether certain mid-rise residential buildings can be safely constructed with a single staircase instead of two. If adopted, this reform could help unlock more “missing middle” housing.

Maura Healey unveiled her latest plan to tackle Massachusetts’ housing crisis: Fewer staircases - The Boston Globe

Fire codes have long required two staircases in mid-rise apartment buildings. But advocates worry that drives up construction costs. So the state will study doing away with one.

bostonglobe.com

Check out Luc Schuster's piece in @cwbeacon.bsky.social making the case that while the MBTA Communities law was a meaningful first step, Massachusetts will need stronger, more focused policies to truly align housing growth with transit and solve the housing crisis.

The MBTA Communities law was a good start. But it won’t deliver transit-oriented development – or solve our housing shortage.

The MBTA Communities law is better understood as a leveling up exercise, or a fair-share zoning law.

commonwealthbeacon.org

Repost with functional video: Historical look at how Brookline acquired land for parking lots, from Len Wholey (@nothingbutparking.bsky.social). (Spoiler: eminent domain that resulted in the loss of lots of homes.) Luckily Brookline can repair past damage w/the Centre Street Lots Exploratory Study

Len Wholey@nothingbutparking.bsky.social · 11mo ago

If you ever wondered how the Town of Brookline, Massachusetts acquired the land for its municipal parking lots, the answer is frequently by eminent domain. This video tells the history of the homes and businesses at the parking lots before they were parking lots.

Great historical look at how Brookline acquired the land for parking lots from Len Wholey (@nothingbutparking.bsky.social). (Spoiler: eminent domain that resulted in the loss of lots of homes.)

The Wizard of Parking

YouTube video by Nothing But Parking

youtube.com

Renowned urban planner and Brookline resident Jeff Speck gave a brilliant talk last week about the Centre Street Lots and a more walkable town. If you missed it, make sure to watch it here (courtesy of BIG): buff.ly/0FD1Ecw

A More Walkable Brookline with Urban Planner Jeff Speck

As part of the Centre Street Lots Exploratory Study, the Town of Brookline hosts a presentation by Speck/Dempsey on the Centre Street Lots.

youtu.be

Remember to attend the Chestnut Hill Commercial Area Study Community Advisory Group to submit public comment tonight (starting at 7:45P). It's Brookline's best chance to promote mixed use development, and we need to promote action now. Zoom link here: buff.ly/eVryAtQ

Stop by our tent at #BrooklineDay. Perfect day to talk housing in Coolidge Corner. We'll be here until 3pm!

A little bluegrass music at Brookline Day. Stop by the @brooklineforeveryone.com table and say hi! #brookline #brooklineday

We are just 1 week out from Jeff Speck's talk on a More Walkable Brookline! He is an acclaimed author of an excellent book, Walkable Cities, and his talk is sure to be a hit. RSVP here: buff.ly/fkIaLT7

Events & Updates | Centre Street Lots Exploratory Study

From tactical urbanism interventions to open meetings, this effort hinges on public participation. Learn more about ways to get involved on this page.

centrestreetlots.com

Brookline Day is on September 14th! We will have a booth- swing by and say hi, or volunteer with us to spread the word about housing and how to get involved this fall. Volunteer shifts are here:

Volunteer at Brookline Day with Brookline for Everyone

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url1005.email.actionnetwork.org

In two weeks, Jeff Speck (author of "Walkable Cities") will be presenting on "A More Walkable Brookline". Join his talk to learn about how we can build a better Brookline is safer, greener, and less car dependent. Sign up here:

Community Invited to Attend ‘A More Walkable Brookline’ Presentation with Jeff Speck

An opportunity to participate in the Centre Street Lots Exploratory Study.

brooklinema.gov

Join us on Brookline Day! We will be recruiting new faces to B4E, spreading the word about housing, and getting people engaged in local policy. Swing by, or volunteer here:

Volunteer at Brookline Day with Brookline for Everyone

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secure.everyaction.com

3 weeks from today, Jeff Speck will be speaking about how we can turn the Center Street Lots into a community space that better supports our needs. Learn more and sign up here!

Community Invited to Attend ‘A More Walkable Brookline’ Presentation with Jeff Speck

An opportunity to participate in the Centre Street Lots Exploratory Study.

brooklinema.gov

Remember to write to the Select Board in support of 16 Williams Street! The meeting is tonight-- you can submit public comment to SelectBoard@brooklinema.gov. We have provided a sample letter: buff.ly/G0otsZQ

DRAFT Letter on 16 Williams.August 2025.docx

TO: Brookline Select Board (via email: SelectBoard@brooklinema.gov) My name is ___________, and I live at ___________________ in Brookline. I write to strongly urge you to approve the sale of 16…

docs.google.com

Our friends at Newton for Everyone have been looking at the bright side. They examine statewide polling that shows support for more housing even when respondents have to choose between it and “protecting the character of neighborhoods” or local control.

Blog – Newton for Everyone

Attend any Newton housing hearing and it’s easy to think opposition dominates—yet new statewide polling shows that impression is wrong. The findings confirm what many of us have felt all along: the…

newtonforeveryone.com

Tonight's Select Board meeting includes a public hearing on much-needed 40B housing at 429 Harvard St. This will start at approximately 8PM. Register and join to make your voice heard here:

Remember to email the Select Board your support for the acquisition and preservation of 16 Williams St. by the Town to support a stable housing environment as families reunite after periods of separation

Did you know buildings with four units or more can only be built in 4% of the state? Our housing issues are statewide and need statewide zoning reform to fix them.

96 percent of Massachusetts is off limits to most apartment buildings. Some hope a new map will change that. - The Boston Globe

Researchers at the National Zoning Atlas spent several years poring over every zoning code in Massachusetts to determine precisely what can be built where in this state.

bostonglobe.com

Remember to fill out fill out the survey about parking (bikes and vehicles) in Washington Square! Survey closes in September. buff.ly/YaJyQ7v

The Comp Plan Steering Committee is tonight! Agenda and zoom is here: buff.ly/bLniXS6 . Tonight's meeting will be critical in understanding how the CPSC is planning on taking the Town's feedback into consideration.

Remember to fill out the surveys about parking (vehicles and bikes) in Brookline Village! Survey closes in September. buff.ly/l285Vw1

The Town has launched Brookline Village and Washington Square Parking Surveys (open through September). This is your opportunity to register your thoughts about how best to get to and enjoy the many gems of these two business districts.

Brookline Village and Washington Square Parking Surveys

Parking Input Needed!

brooklinema.gov