(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Good afternoon,

The recent MBTA Communities Law requires cities served by the T to zone for multifamily housing in about 50 acres around at least one transit stop. This policy addresses both our regional housing shortage and our global climate crisis, because people living in homes near transit have dramatically lower per-capita carbon emissions. Leaders in some communities have tried to reject the law or find ways to avoid actually creating any housing, and it’s encouraging to know that Somerville City Council isn’t trying to do that. However, we can and should do more than the bare minimum. As a city with multiple T stations, this law presents Somerville with an opportunity to take a leadership role on both climate and housing. Instead of applying the revised zoning to an area near one train station, we should apply it around every train station. And instead of the bare minimum 50 acre space, we should apply it evenly within a half mile of a train station, just as we do with our transit-oriented development parking rules. Our policy leadership can help encourage other cities to do the right thing as well, and truly begin to address the twin threats of housing scarcity and climate change.

Best,
Aaron S. Weber
Somerville