And making them smaller

(periodic quiet reminder that it is time for the left to get LESS cozy with public unions 🤫)

I personally love everything about this

The culture war tie-in, the shitty (better models ARE available) AI graphic, the multiple broken links for the caption, etc

It’s perfect!

Oh wow, our police chief shares that he wishes that a body worn camera had captured it when a police officer said that they were going to kill him.

He says that he subsequently had to work with that individual as a colleague?

What the actual fuck?

64/?

This is a baffling fact.

Hate when that happens.

I’m sure what I imply is indeed illegal, so take me out back for this, but…

Oh no, the library deposited checks and now they have more money!

Oh I’m joking, I’m with you.

Your point is optimistic, though. My pessimistic take is that I’m not all that sure that people are forgetting that point so much as choosing to ignore it.

Not sure the “housing affordability” people care about affordable housing development. The opposite, even!

Wonder what inspired this change.

I’d just keep depositing the checks.

Oh the horror!

Yes, agreed on all counts.

Arguments against the development include that it wouldn't raise taxes for the city (???), that it would only be a place for rich people to live (???), and that Somerville has an affordable housing crisis but no overall housing crisis (???).

Public benefits would include such things as a library branch, a park behind the buildings that is the size of Winthrop Park in Cambridge’s Harvard Square, two-way bike lanes on Prospect Street and relocation help for the businesses displaced by construction.

"Public benefits would include such things as a library branch, a park behind the buildings that is the size of Winthrop Park in Cambridge’s Harvard Square, two-way bike lanes on Prospect Street and relocation help for the businesses displaced by construction."

And all this INSTEAD of labs, btw.

Haunting to read these articles about things coming before the planning board + land use committee.

How much more could one even ask for in a housing project?

1/ @yonahfreemark.com wrote an interesting piece about how to improve public engagment in the US, which he correctly notes is relevant not just to transportation projects, but also housing and climate. @thefoxandthecity.com has a good thread about it below. As a former pollster, I have thoughts!

The Boston garden dispensary on Somerville Ave.

Apparently the owners of the stadium that has been known as ‘TD Garden’ since 2005 are suing the ‘Boston Garden’ dispensary chain for $40M, citing ‘irreparable harm’ to their reputation.

Anyway, happy 4/20 to all who celebrate.

Thanks for responding.

Oh no our reforms to allow for more housing are resulting in more housing

God forbid Somerville have triple-deckers. Doesn't at all fit with the character of Somerville, nope.

An aerial view of suburban sprawl housing development

Triple-deckers are defacing our city’s historic character.

We must preserve its natural beauty:

Absolutely. No language can veil the intentions: this is a plain and simple effort to build less housing.

not right now

🤔

We built Camberville on the back of the hard-working, tasteful triple decker.

We can do so again.

Triple deckers are the natural order of things and can only be held down for so long

It’s insane how easy liberals and leftists are to coop with language about gentrification, equity, and displacement.

If you aren’t wealthy and you don’t own a home in Somerville RIGHT NOW, these people will do everything in their power to ensure you’re not welcome here.

Who cares how they talk?

I don’t even have to look. Every single person campaigning for this that is mentioned in that article is a home owner. Waste of time to look it up.

Surprise, surprise. Home owners don’t want housing built near them so that their property values can appreciate.

Sickening to hear people in our community say that triple deckers are an assault on “city character” or harmful to “middle-income” people

Listen to yourself. Say it aloud with me:

“Triple deckers go against Somerville’s city character.”

Sickening and deceitful. Enemies of the working class.

👎👎👎

We are going to fight to the death to do everything in our power to not address the housing crisis lmao

The idea that any zoning changes have gone TOO FAR in Somerville is genuinely unhinged

This is a strong brand direction in terms of the graphic. It really gives police

Thanks for ignoring the temptations of such an alluring evening for an important meeting boss man