Will Wellesley walk the housing talk?
Will Wellesley walk the housing talk?
Good morning friends,
Do you know of any Needham-based businesses or business people who had a special impact in the past year?
Nominations are due Friday for our annual Needham Night Awards, selected and presented annually by the Needham Business Alliance, a chamber committee.
Awardees will be honored at our annual Needham Night BBQ at Tripadvisor, July 23.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
Wellesley talks housing and you can lend your voice too
The median price of a single-family home in Wellesley has risen 52% since 2018.
For condominiums, the median price is up 211% over that same time.
Last week, the Town of Wellesley officially kicked off a six-month process to create a new strategic housing plan that maybe, just maybe, can help reverse those trend lines.
The plan aims to “expand housing options for low-income individuals and families, housing for middle-income earners, and market-rate housing,” according to a statement on the just-launched website.
Tuesday’s thoughtfully facilitated session at Wellesley High School included many pin-the-dots on poster activities that will hopefully jump-start some productive discussions.
But — as was clear from some comments Tuesday’ — building consensus, let alone housing, won’t be easy.
Some skeptics (like the fellow at the 27:30 mark here) believe Wellesley is already at capacity. Others just don’t trust the process. Or any process.
Not as vocal, but present Tuesday, were attendees committed to making the town more welcoming at different levels of affordability.
Similar to most of municipal meetings, the audience was mostly older. (I did notice one woman with a stroller.) Younger adults who, studies show, are among the most challenged by the housing shortage were sorely underrepresented.
The good news is the project website includes poll questions and interactive exercises so everyone can be heard.
So go there, be heard and share, okay?
ADUs next to you (and me)
One easy way to help grow Wellesley’s housing stock that came up as a suggestion at last week’s meeting would be to remove the town’s special permit requirement for detached accessory dwelling units, or ADU.
Looks like the state could beat the town to it.
The Senate Housing Bond Bill released yesterday would allow ADUs by right in single-family zones statewide.
That’s would also help in Watertown which does not currently allow ADUs.
The Healey administration previously estimated this could create 10,000 new housing units across Massachusetts. It already passed in the House.
(BTW, this website will tell you if you can build an ADU by right in Newton. And the Needham Housing Coalition is hosting a discussion tomorrow, June 26, 7 p.m., on how to build an ADU in Needham.)
But no transfer tax this year
On the other hand, a proposal many officials in all four chamber communities supported — Healey’s proposal to allow communities to tax high-value real estate transactions to pay for affordable housing — was left out of both the Senate and House multi-billion dollar housing bills.
So it’s all but dead this year.
The Globe has a good summary of the other differences and features ahead of the Senate debate on Thursday.
The same article includes this sobering statement that summarizes the enormity of our housing challenge:
“The state needs at least 200,000 new housing units by 2030 to accommodate new growth and maintain a healthy vacancy rate… but the bill released Monday would only address 40,000 of those.”
Tuesday grab bag
- If you work at, volunteer at, or sit on a chamber member nonprofit board, join us for pizza tomorrow (June 26) at Hearth Pizzeria in Needham.
- The next Joint Hearing to discuss the Watertown Square Area Plan is Thursday June 27, 6 p.m., virtually and at the Watertown Middle School Auditorium at 68 Waverley Ave. Here’s the plan document.
- Here’s the final version of Newton’s new electrification ordinance which bans fossil fuels in new buildings and substantial renovations starting Jan. 1. Exemptions apply. Newton Beacon and Fig City and my take.
- Downtown Natick’s historic Clark’s Block building, featuring 61,000 square feet of retail below two floors of office has changed hands. (Real Reporter)
- Gov. Maura Healey’s economic development plan which invests hundreds of millions of dollars in the life sciences, clean energy and climate tech is scheduled for a vote by the House on Thursday.
- Newton’s candidates for two state representative seats discussed climate change, environmental policy, and transparency at a forum last week. (Newton Beacon)
- Watertown-based Ingenia Therapeutics has received $5 million in funding from a single investor. (BostInno)
- Gov. Maura Healey reportedly offered Citizens Bank multiple deals to leave Rhode Island for Massachusetts. (WPRI)
- The Needham Select Board will hold a hearing tonight (June 25) on a proposed pilot that would eliminate the first and last trains from and to Needham Heights commuter rail station. (Needham Observer)
- Don’t forget to vote on three possible new designs for Newton’s city seal.
Watertown company acquired, staying in Watertown
Watertown-based SAS Security Systems has been acquired by Wayne Alarm Systems.
SAS was incorporated in 1971 by retired FBI agent Leonard M.Frisoli and, according to SAS’s website, has 25 employees.
“This strategic move expands Wayne Alarm’s footprint in the greater Boston area, allowing them to deliver their premier security services to a wider range of customers,” the Lynn-based company said in a statement.
Wayne’s statement said it plans to maintain operations in the current SAS location at 67 Pleasant Street “for the foreseeable future.” (Watertown News)
IRS: Your check may eventually be in the mail
Here’s an update from last week’s newsletter and good news if your business is among the 1.4 million companies waiting for the IRS to issue your Employee Retention Credit payment.
The IRS now says it will start issuing payments to some 10 to 20% of the claims it considers “low risk.”
The first payments in that group should go out “later this summer,” reports Andy Medici for the BBJ.
Meet Max Woolf!
Finally, this morning, say hello to the newest member of your chamber team.
Max Woolf is our first Public Policy Manager, a new position we’ve created to grow our ability to advocate for your business or nonprofit on the local, regional and state level.
Woolf grew up in the area and just graduated from Brandeis University where he studied political science. He interned at the State House and the Attorney General’s Office.
Rumor has it, he’s also an awesome Ultimate Frisbee player, so perhaps we need to start a team.
You’ll see Woolf on the ground at many local municipal meetings and on Beacon Hill. Think of him as another resource you can turn to if you’re having trouble navigating town or city hall or other issues.
Say hello at mwoolf@charlesriverchamber.com
That’s what you need to know for today — it’s Please Take My Children to Work Day — unless you need to know why you should spray vodka on your clothes.
Make it a good one.
Greg Reibman (he, him)
President & CEO
Charles River Regional Chamber
617.244.1688