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(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)
To The Editor:
As a young professional, I’ve been speaking lately with many of my friends about all the exciting things going on in Somerville, especially Union Square. The possibilities seem endless, but that has also opened up a debate about what’s best for Somerville and what’s right for the Square specifically.
Speaking from personal experience and the conversations I’ve had, I know finding a place to live in Somerville is tough. There is also concern that Union Square could go one of two ways- it can retain and expand upon its reputation as a fun and hip place to live work and play, or it can become a more sterile, corporate center like Kendall Square, pushing residents further out of the center of the Square in favor of big businesses and exacerbating the lack of housing options.
The people I talk to, however, seem unanimous that we need to build upon the unique character of Union Square in a way that improves the lifestyles of the people who live in and around the Square. That means we need a neighborhood that is active and bustling not just when office workers are here, but during evening hours as well. There are people living in the area and patronizing the retail shops and restaurants, enjoying nightlife, and exploring the nooks and crannies.
That can’t happen in the sterile, lifeless, corporate enclave dominated by sprawling offices that go dark at 5pm and on weekends when employees head home. The employees who staff those offices are going to want to live near where they work, and play near where they live. They are not going to want long commutes from the suburbs. That means they will come to Somerville, competing with long-time residents for available housing, or they will be accommodated with the kind of housing they want and need – close to the office where they work and with the amenities that they use in their daily lives.
The Union Square redevelopment offers a great opportunity to improve the city overall, making the Square an even more desirable place to live for longtime residents and the newcomers alike who want to live in an active downtown.
That’s why I am circulating a petition calling for city officials to make housing a priority in Union Square. More housing will help keep rents in check, accommodate new workers and contribute to an energetic Square. For the great majority of us who have not had a chance to express themselves at public meetings on this topic, please keep an eye out for this petition which I will deliver to city officials in the coming weeks so all of our voices can be heard. You can also find an online version of it here: https://www.change.org/p/the-city-of-somervillle-petition-for-new-housing-in-union-square
Megan MacDonald
Somerville resident
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Huh? Megan, have you been in Union Square lately? There’s literally three new residential buildings under construction and the city is proposing to build THOUSANDS more residential units. I think your fears of a “sterile, lifeless, corporate enclave” are overblown. Rest assured there will be more housing for young professionals in Union Square.
Maybe someone should explain to the young professionals who are “exploring the nooks and crannies” about what’s really going on in the “fun and hip place to live work and play.” Like that Somerville depends on state aid to make ends meet, or that rising property taxes are forcing us out, or that most of us have to work outside the city, or that most jobs here pay crappy wages and no benefits, and that those “sprawling offices” are the only way to fix all that.
I don’t doubt that everyone she talks to agrees with her. Maybe she should talk to the people who are trying to make a living in the quaint shops that she finds in the nooks and crannies. She might find out that they need day time office workers to make Union Square “active and bustling” enough for them not to go out of business.
Somerville has higher priorities than building a Disneyworld for young professionals to live in until they move on.
Having been a life-long Somerville resident, I can say that we have more than enough residents here to go around. It might be a great place to live, but how many people are we expected to fit in an already densely populated city?
Maybe I should feel that it’s good that so many young professionals want to come here to live, but if you go on a bus and find it’s already filled, do you expect some people should get out to make room for the ones that want to come on, even if they aren’t ready to leave?
The Mayor wants people to come here, raise families and stay, but that can only happen if people STAY. That means long-term residents, not people who rent temporarily while furthering their education or just “passing through” while they find their careers. The more people who stay, the fewer living spaces will be available for anyone new.
I am not against young people by any means, we need diversity in every area to live. I am just saying that we can only accomodate so many people in this city, and expecting us to keep making room for people isn’t going to end well. The more crowded we become, the more likely that tempers will flare with so many people trying to occupy the same space.
Let’s concentrate on the people already living here, make it a great place to live, work, and shop, and stop trying to fit more people in. If homes and apartments become available, great. But if there’s a waiting list, then let people wait. We’re not the only city in Massachusetts.
Just because our property is valuable on the open market, that doesn’t automatically mean we all want to sell up and move.
There is no controversy as to whether or not housing should be part of the Union Square/Boynton Yards redevelopment mix. There is principled disagreement as to what the proportion of new housing should be, ranging from 60% to 80%.
As Michael Rossi suggests, the larger proportion of office and R&D space is built, the better chance Somerville has to overcome its fiscal woes and its live/work imbalance. Especially because Union Square and Assembly Square are by far the most attractive neighborhoods in the city to employers.
And no matter what target the city sets for US/BY housing units, the ultimate mix will end up with more housing than that because developers will cram as many unit as the city will allow onto lots that are too small or ill-configured to accommodate commercial space. As 197Union points out, it’s already happening. And housing developers already have site control on properties beyond the three that s/he mentions.
There is also a conversation about how best to make new housing available to households over a wide range of incomes. And conversation about how to maintain a mix of family housing, which has been removed from the market by condo conversions and not replaced with new development that favors building smaller units for affluent young professionals.
Since regular ST readers are probably already weary of my own views, I won’t repeat them here.
Not weary of your views at all, Bill. Yours is one of the most informed and rational voices we have here. Please do not shy away.
Bill is 100% right, we need a good mix of jobs and places to live and the redevelopment of Union Sq, Innerbelt and Boyton yards are the last opportunity that we have to bring real businesses with high paying jobs to our city.
I appreciate the other comments, but I agree with the authors overall point. I don’t think its a matter of young professionals and not. I think its about a healthy community. Shouldn’t people live near where they work? Don’t we want people to live near the T which most can’t now because its an industrial wasteland? The theme through all of the comments that I agree with most is that there should be a mix. I don’t think anyone is calling for only housing, or only offices, but please don’t tell me that all offices and no residential is the answer. It didn’t work in Kendall, why would it work here. As Bill said, its a matter of finding a balance within that mix.
Our taxes are absurd
Colin, The current proposal is more than half the developed square footage is going to be residential. What would be the ideal breakdown for you?
Dear Megan,
Thank you for your thoughtful observations on Union Square. As a member of the CAC and a Strategy Leader compiling a comprehensive Community Benefits Agreement, I can tell you that we are looking for a harmony between housing and commercial development. Through this balance, and in combination with a Real Estate Transfer Fee, we hope to achieve the tax relief needed to slow the pace of rising rents. There is no one direct path to an answer to this crisis and it’s my intention to work together for a solid solution. I invite you to listen to all sides and join the fight for an affordable Somerville!