New Yorker piece by Bill McKibben about Lexington

[Sarah Higginbotham]

I encourage all TMMs to read “The Second (and Third) Battle of Lexington” - a personal history published by The New Yorker and online today. Bill McKibben juxtaposes two events that occurred in 1971: the Vietnam War veterans’ protest on the Battle Green and the referendum vote to overturn Town Meeting’s support of low-income housing on Bedford St. 

https://www.newyorker.com/

You may need a subscription to read online. If you can’t access, I suggest using Cary Library. It’s worth your attention. 

Sarah Higginbotham 

Pct.5

[Bridger McGaw]

Sorry — hat tip to Sarah - I just finished it.  It worth reading and reflecting. 

On May 1, 2022, at 8:35 AM, Sarah Higginbotham <shig...@gmail.com> wrote:

I encourage all TMMs to read “The Second (and Third) Battle of Lexington” - a personal history published by The New Yorker and online today. Bill McKibben juxtaposes two events that occurred in 1971: the Vietnam War veterans’ protest on the Battle Green and the referendum vote to overturn Town Meeting’s support of low-income housing on Bedford St. 

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[ricki...@gmail.com]

Worth reading, reflecting and discussing. 

Ricki Pappo

Pct 2

Sent from my iPhone

On May 1, 2022, at 8:52 AM, Bridger McGaw <bridgerfo...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Lin Jensen]

Here is the pdf file. Lin Jensen p8

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[Tom Diaz]

Very definitely!  

The struggle for affordable housing continues.

Tom Diaz

Precinct 3

On Sun, May 1, 2022 at 9:48 AM <ricki...@gmail.com> wrote:

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_______________________
Thomas R. Díaz

3409 Main Campus Drive

Lexington, Massachusetts 02421

Text: (781) 454-9946

[Avram Baskin]

I think an important point is that there is a difference between low income housing and affordable housing.  Lexington was a different town when the “battle” over low income housing discussed in the article was fought — the town much more conservative.  The town’s recent discussions have focused on affordable housing.  I wonder if today’s more liberal Lexington would go for low income housing, and if that should be included in future discussions.

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[Tom Diaz]

Avram,

What is the difference as you see it?

Tom Díaz

Precinct 3

Sent from my iPhone

On May 1, 2022, at 10:10 AM, Avram Baskin <avram....@icloud.com> wrote:

I think an important point is that there is a difference between low income housing and affordable housing.  Lexington was a different town when the “battle” over low income housing discussed in the article was fought — the town much more conservative.  The town’s recent discussions have focused on affordable housing.  I wonder if today’s more liberal Lexington would go for low income housing, and if that should be included in future discussions.

[Avram Baskin]

I am not an expert on affordable housing or low income housing.  It would be better for an expert to explain the differences.

I think the qualifying income level for affordable housing is a percentage of a municipality’s median income. I’m not sure, but I think it may be 80%.  So the qualifying income level for Lexington would be higher than the qualifying income level for Lowell.

I know even less about low income housing, other than that the qualifying income calculation is different.

So, my understanding is that, in a given community,  the person who qualifies for affordable housing has a higher income than a person who qualifies for low income housing and would make too much money to qualify for low income housing.

Avram Baskin

Be yourself, 

everyone else is already taken

Oscar Wilde

On May 1, 2022, at 12:05 PM, Tom Diaz <thoma...@gmail.com> wrote:

Avram,

[Sallye Bleiberg]

Avaram, affordable housing is affordable for people with moderate incomes, often applied to public servants like teachers, police, etc.   Low income housing is designated for people who fall near or under the poverty line.  Your calculations are correct.  MA has 3 types of low income housing - federally created and funded, state created and funded which exists in every city and town in the Commonwealth, and Section 8 which is a  government voucher system allowing renters to use that in lieu of rent if the landlord is willing to meet all requirements for doing so.  Sallye Bleiberg Prec 3

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[Tom Diaz]

Sallye,

Is affordability computed based on median income within a municipality?

Sent from my iPhone

On May 1, 2022, at 1:04 PM, Sallye Bleiberg <sallyeb...@gmail.com> wrote:



[Ruth Thomas]

As I understand it, Tom, the difference is affordable housing has a new designation, "attainable housing."  Traditionally, affordable housing meant low and moderate income housing.

Developers maintain they cannot build a housing unit in a multifamily building--say, four units-- for less than $1,500,000 per unit.  (That's what I learned from a Planning Board meeting a year or two ago.)  That's attainable for many people who want to move to Lexington.  I do not know the rental cost of such a unit.

The question is: how can the Town ensure housing both for the life sciences researchers and also for the after hours cleaning staff?

See also "workforce housing."  The PB referred to it in OSRD discussions as they grappled with housing definitions.

Ruth Thomas, 4

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[Bob Balaban]

Ruth, you asked, " How can the Town ensure housing both for the life sciences researchers and also for the after hours cleaning staff?"

This is an excellent question, to which I would add the proviso, "without gettoization"

Bob Balaban, Pct 5

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[Tom Diaz]

According to the town website, “affordable” is defined as a percentage of median income in a large metropolitan area, not just Lexington.

Tom Díaz

Precinct 3

Sent from my iPhone

On May 1, 2022, at 1:39 PM, Bob Balaban <bbal...@gmail.com> wrote:



[Jay Luker]

Do what Portland did?

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2020/08/portland-changes-zoning-code-to-allow-duplexes-triplexes-fourplexes-in-areas-previously-reserved-for-single-family-homes.html

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[Meg Muckenhoupt]

On Sun, May 1, 2022 at 1:39 PM Bob Balaban <bbal...@gmail.com> wrote:

Ruth, you asked, " How can the Town ensure housing both for the life sciences researchers and also for the after hours cleaning staff?"

This is an excellent question, to which I would add the proviso, "without gettoization"

I don't understand what you mean here. Could you please explain? 

Meg Muckenhoupt

Precinct 1

 

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[Vicki Blier]

There is no affordable or low income housing income criteria that is based on the income of the municipality. HUD's median income criteria, which is used to calculate local affordable housing income qualifications, is based on a very large metropolitan area which, in the case of Lexington, extends from a thin slice of southern New Hampshire all the way down through Plymouth county and as far west as Hopkinton and Ayer. This is the "Area" in the "Area Median Income"

Our region is called the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy HUD Metropolitan Area

Lexington is a member of a small collaborative of towns that funds an organization called The Regional Housing Services Office which manages some aspects of our affordable housing. Their website publishes the current income ranges and probably has answers to other questions you may have on the topic of Lexington affordable housing.

https://www.rhsohousing.org/home/faq/what-are-income-limits

Vicki Blier

Pct. 9

781-862-1804 Landline First

617-549-3207 Mobile

    

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[Sallye Bleiberg]

Good question.   I have forgotten it is the municipality or the geographic area which could encompass more than one municipality.  Too long since I've been an affordable housing advocate.   Sallye

On Sun, May 1, 2022 at 1:12 PM Tom Diaz <thoma...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Ruth Thomas]

The Portland duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes are no larger than the 8-bedroom, 7-bath, single family house currently on the market in Lexington.  Any one of the plexes would fit right in next door!

Aside: I didn't realize folks were having such large families again, esp. as Lexington no longer is a town of farmers!

Ruth Thomas, 4

[Bob Balaban]

Meg, sorry if my meaning wasn't clear.

I would not want affordable/low-income, etc. housing in Lexington to be confined to a single part of town.

Regards,

Bob Balaban, Pct 5

[andrei rădulescu-banu]

McKibben just published The Flag, the Cross, the Station Wagon. I learned of it through Timothy Egan' facetious review. Lexington figures prominently in the book, and the review. Bill McKibben has a book presentation at Brattle Theater this Monday at 6PM. I'd be very curious to attend it.

Andrei Radulescu-Banu, Pct 8

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Andrei Rădulescu-Banu

86 Cedar St, Lexington MA
617.216.8509 (m)

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[Innessa Manning]

He is also speaking (virtually) at Cary Library on June 28th at 7pm:

https://carylibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/bill-mckibben-what-happened-lexington-as-a-microcosm-of-the-last-fifty-years-in-american-history/

On Jun 5, 2022, at 9:36 AM, andrei rădulescu-banu <bitdr...@gmail.com> wrote:



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