It is ridiculous to keep relying on past laurels as if Lincoln is some sort of beacon of affordable housing. Look around. It is not. It is not diverse, and certainly not as diverse as it could be if 2-acre zoning was not instituted. I am frequently in all-white spaces. When residents say they want to "control" development - well, that smacks to me as exclusionary. Many laws have been passed to control the rights and movement of people who look like me - not to mention those with much more melanin. Regardless of the wholesome intent of those who instituted the zoning in the first place, the effect it has had is to keep generational wealth (i.e., home ownership) mostly with white people. At the very least acknowledge the disparate effect of this type of zoning, even if you insist on keeping the founders on a pedestal.
Diana Giles Rd On Sun, Nov 26, 2023 at 11:32 PM Sara Mattes <samat...@gmail.com> wrote: > It is interesting and disappointing to read this. > Lincoln stood out for creating affordable housing/ mixed income housing > long before others. > Lincoln Woods, a cooperative mixed income development led the way in the > 1970s. > > Development of new types of multi- family housing, rental and > home-ownership, have continued. > Today, 40% of our housing units are multi-family, and 13% of all housing > is state- certified “affordable.” > So, I am not sure what data this report relies on. > > Certainly, most of our single family homes prices have made us > discriminatory… by income. > It would be great to come up with a program to address that. > But the HCA is not such a program. > In fact, HCA rezoning creates further economic discrimination by capping > affordability and promoting 90% of all units as “ market rate” and often > luxury. > This would undercut Lincoln’s history of inclusionary zoning, requiring > all developments offer a minimum of 15% affordable units. > > To me, that makes HCA zoning discriminatory, by Lincoln standards. > > So much for AI! > > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Nov 26, 2023, at 10:09 PM, Ray Shepard <kathleenshep...@verizon.net> > wrote: > > > *From the perspective of ChatGPT...*. > > *What towns in Massachusetts are known for exclusionary zoning?* > > *ChatGPT* > Several towns in Massachusetts have been identified for their practices of > exclusionary zoning. These towns often use zoning laws to limit the > development of affordable housing, resulting in a lack of diversity in > housing types and prices. Some notable examples include: > Weston: Known for its large lot zoning, which requires a significant > amount of land per housing unit, making it difficult for smaller, more > affordable homes to be built. > Dover: Similar to Weston, Dover also employs large lot zoning, which > effectively limits the availability of affordable housing options. > * Lincoln: This town is known for its strict zoning regulations that limit > the types and densities of allowable housing, often pricing out > lower-income families.* > Wellesley: Wellesley has been cited for using zoning laws to restrict the > development of multi-family housing, which tends to be more affordable. > Lexington: Known for its high property values and zoning practices that > favor single-family homes, limiting more affordable housing options. > *These towns, among others in Massachusetts, often use zoning as a tool to > maintain a certain demographic and economic status quo, leading to > criticism regarding social equity and inclusiveness.* > > > On Sunday, November 26, 2023 at 09:28:56 PM EST, Sara Mattes < > samat...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > It had absolutely NOTHING to do with preventing “undesirable” people > moving in. > It had to do with land preservation and conservation and concern over the > inability of the town finances to support a rapid growth in population. > We had no commercial base, except a few small business along Rt.2A and 117. > > Racial and ethnic (antisemitism) was an issue a bit later-it was near > impossible to buy a house in Lincoln if you were Black or Jewish. > Story goes that a seller was present at the tour and always expressed > interest in who would be the buyer. > If a Jew managed to get a showing, the seller would take their time and > then turn down the offer. > If you were black, it was next to impossible to get a showing. > I moved here in 1976, and told that was the case, even then. > > It had nothing to do with zoning. > > > > > > > > ------ > Sara Mattes > > > > > On Nov 26, 2023, at 8:36 PM, DJCP <djcp0...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Two acre zoning was meant as a means of "control" (a word currently > bandied about without any shame) after WWII housing booms to prevent too > much housing being built and "undesirable" people moving in. Anyone who has > given an ounce of attention to the anti racism reckoning we are currently > going thru shouldn't have a problem seeing through any other rationale > given for such zoning. > > Diana > Giles Rd > > On Sun, Nov 26, 2023, 7:55 PM Sara Mattes <samat...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Two acre zoning was to protect wetlands and open space and encourage land > conservation. > It bought time to allow for creative planning and development efforts. > I recommend reading *A Rich Harvest *to better understand the arc of our > history and the role land protection has played. > Also, Bob Lemire’s book, *Creative Land Development *has been leading > light not just in Lincoln, but nationally. > > There is such to be proud of and to be thankful for- for the wisdom of > those who did big picture thinking in the past, and made wise investments > to ensure most of the plans were realized. > The environment thanks us for the tree cover and the carbon sink our land > provides. > The environment thanks us for wetlands protection. > Folks in our forward-thinking affordable housing developments thank us. > Seniors who now have multiple housing choices for down-sizing thank us. > Those seeking respite from the city to walk our trails and fields thank us. > > > We need to build on that-move forward, and add to it-esp. with more > housing choices,-but to do it in cautious, thoughtful and deliberate ways. > > > > > > ------ > Sara Mattes > > > > > On Nov 26, 2023, at 12:18 PM, Louis Zipes <louiszi...@gmail.com> wrote: > > And our emergency services are quite familiar with our part of 117 since > there are so many accidents due to our bucolic scenery and other historical > roadways. > > I especially find it fascinating that Lincoln was the first town in > Massachusetts to adopt two acre housing. So much history to be proud of! > > On Sun, Nov 26, 2023 at 12:01 PM Ken Hurd <kenh...@keha.com> wrote: > > Sara, > > Your comment is very misleading. > > Cold Brook Crossing is not at all what one might see in Lincoln Station > because of the controls that the Planning Board would have over any complex > with the Site Plan Review section of Lincoln’s Zoning Bylaws that are > already in place. > > Cold Brook Crossing is an example of Chapter 40B housing in which > developers are allowed to bypass zoning when the SHI (Subsidized Housing > Inventory) is under 10%. These are two different animals. > > I’m sorry you felt you needed to resort to such a scare tactic in this > discussion. > > Ken Hurd > > Lifting the Human Spirit by Design > 781-259-3300 > 781-259-8900 cell > www.keha.com > > > > > On Nov 26, 2023, at 11:27 AM, Sara Mattes <samat...@gmail.com> wrote: > > 117 offers a lovely drive from Lincoln to Leominster, and a history lesson > as you see the landscape and the towns change as you head west. > > Nearby, is a starling lesson. > > Just past Nine Acre Corner in Concord, and over the Sudbury line, on your > right as you head west, you will see Cold Brook Crossing. > It is a new housing development, many units completed and more under > construction. > It is a model for what we might see on Lincoln, esp. at the mall. > > Take a drive and see. > Is that what we want? > You be the judge. > > ------ > Sara Mattes > > > > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
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