May 2024 Newsletter
Given recent discussions about both the Washington St. Pilot project and the Newton Highlands Enhancement project , check out our article connecting better infrastructure for people walking and biking with better business and more housing.
Join us at our event this Thursday, May 30 – “Can New Development Help School Budgets in Cities like Newton?” What role can local development, including increasing the housing supply, play in increasing the tax base and school funding? What are the practical implications of the research on increasing school funding through increased local development. Hybrid event: In person at Congregation Dorshei Tzedek, 60 Highland St. and virtually on zoom. Register: Click here for in-person Click here for zoom
Safer Bike & Pedestrian Infrastructure – Better for Business, Better for Housing
If you haven’t been following, there is a battle happening on Washington Street. The City is proposing a pilot that includes protected bike lanes and better pedestrian infrastructure. What would we lose on the street? Two car travel lanes. Most of the funding is from ARPA funds, which were granted to the city in the wake of the pandemic as a way to improve urban life.
While this may seem like a battle between cars and bikes, it’s much more. It’s actually a battle over housing. More bike infrastructure leads to a reduced need for parking, and less parking means more housing.
Less parking can make market rate rents more affordable
Take the example of Everett, which recently made a series of moves that effectively eliminated minimum parking requirements. The result? More housing getting built within developments that would otherwise have required more parking.
In one case, land that developers originally purchased to use as parking became 125 units of affordable housing. Even better the city is seeing an increase in market-rate infill housing. But here’s the thing, those “market rate” apartments are renting for what would be 80% AMI if they were built as “Affordable Housing.”
Simply put, by reducing the need for parking the city is building more homes, and those homes are affordable. It’s not just Everett either: a Yale study found that reducing car dependency and changing how we approach parking reduces housing costs. (Video of the Everett story)
Bike lanes = Cleaner air, less congestion, less need for parking
McKinsey found something similar when it looked at the impact of bike infrastructure on land use and housing. The consulting firm found that installing protected bike lanes increased bike and e-bike usage, thereby decreasing car use. That not only results in cleaner air, but also in reduced congestion and reduced need for parking.
Tibbits-Nutts connecting transportation and housing
When MassDOT Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt spoke at the Charles River Chamber recently, she said that most of her time is spent talking not about how to move people but about housing and economic development. She says she spends more time thinking about housing than about transportation for a simple reason: people don’t live where they work. That leads to more traffic. (Video of Monica Tibbits-Nutt)
Review of 32 studies – Adding bike and pedestrian infrastructure brings more business
The economic vitality of Newton’s villages is a huge issue as we look at changes. More housing along with upgrades to roadways and improved safety for people walking or biking will lead to more foot traffic which leads to more business for local stores and restaurants. But the fears tend to be around car traffic and parking.
Business Insider reporter Adam Rogers looked at 32 studies and found that, despite pushback from local businesses, adding bike and pedestrian infrastructure to urban areas like Newton's villages brings in more business. Add that to a study in Cambridge that found when an area builds protected bike infrastructure bike use increases dramatically.
The bottom line is this: parking, driving, biking, and public transportation are all tied to housing policy. These battles are one and the same.
What's in the Affordable Homes Act? Will it pass?
As the legislative session draws to a close, debate continues on the state's major housing bond bill, the Affordable Homes Act. It includes $4 billion in capital spending authorizations, close to 30 substantive policy changes and two targeted tax credits. Take a look at our summary of what is included and advocate for more housing.
Come talk with us at our table at these local events
Newton Highlands Village Day – June 9
Juneteenth – June 15
Let us know if you'd like to help out at the table!
What we are reading
Upzone Update. A biweekly newsletter from Boston Indicators and Amy Dain that tracks and analyzes MBTA-C compliance efforts.
Do land-use reforms spur housing development? You betcha. Route Fifty, 2024. After years of adjusting land-use regulations, Minneapolis boosted its housing stock by 12%, while rents grew at just 1%. Meanwhile, the rest of Minnesota increased its stock by 4% as rents rose 14%.
Why State Land Use Reform Should Be a Priority Climate Lever for America, RMI, 2024. “Encouraging better-located, less car-dependent communities, we can solve the nationwide housing shortage while dramatically cutting pollution."
Expanding Affordable Housing Opportunities: Zoning and Land Use Case Studies,Bipartisan Policy Center, 2023. A webpage with case studies from 9 cities and states with a summary of their impact.
Newton for Everyone is dedicated to promoting housing opportunities for people of all ages, means, backgrounds and abilities in Newton. The housing shortage affects all of us. We believe that diverse housing options are crucial to fostering a thriving community, a sustainable environment and a robust economy.