Re: [LincolnTalk] Thoughts on the HCA and Affordable + Moderate Housing in Lincoln
I'm appalled that anyone is relying on ChatGPT as a source of information. Leslie Turek On Mon, Nov 27, 2023 at 12:21 PM Allen Vander Meulen wrote: > ChatGPT’s screed (as supplied by Ray Shephard and commented-on by Sara > Mattes) is definitely disappointing, but also no surprise. It is accurate, > though incomplete. > > There's been a clear trend for at least the last two decades (that I know > of, but almost certainly much longer than that) in which moderate priced > housing and large subdividable lots in town have been replaced (for the > most part) by high end homes on 2 acre lots. > > This is an inevitable result of our current zoning bylaws, combined with > the challenges and uncertainty any developer faces as a result of needing > to go through Town meeting to attain approval of nearly any major project. > …Few if any developers in Massachusetts will consider, let alone actually > enter into, a Town Meeting approval process (not just Lincoln’s). > > They are not against the Town Meeting process per se. It’s just that they > need a process that is predictable: one where if they play by the rules, > their efforts and substantial investments will not be derailed at the last > minute. (I would be very reluctant to subject myself to that level of > risk, the current process requires - as I think anyone would be.) But, > even if we claim to be friendly and supportive of development, our last > minute rejection of the school project in 2012 forever cemented our > reputation as a town that is too risky. > > Even so, historically, Lincoln has done outstandingly well in terms off > creating housing that qualifies as “Affordable” on our town’s Subsidized > Housing Inventory, and have done far better in this respect than all but a > very few towns throughout the state. Is it “good enough”? (No, definitely > not, in my opinion). Further, we have no process or mechanisms designed to > encourage the creation or preservation of moderate priced housing. > > So (and as I was told by a member of the Planning Board years ago): if we > stay the current course, Lincoln will inevitably become almost entirely > high end homes and estates, with a few “Affordable” enclaves scattered > throughout the town, and nothing in between. > > I have no indication of a lack of interest or support for more affordable > housing in town. (In fact, I am certainly constantly encouraged - and even > pleasantly surprised - by the amount of support we see whenever the issue > comes up.) But, we don't have the structures and processes we need to > influence the current trajectory - which I sometimes call “The creeping > Weston-ization of Lincoln." > > There has been a lot of discussion (and angst) over the shape and details > of enacting Zoning and Bylaws that conform to the HCA’s requirements, and > rightly so: we’re trying to weave a thread through a very complex tangle of > competing legacies, interests, goals, requirements, and regulations. No > solution is (let alone can be) perfect - but that’s the nature of life (and > especially politics). > > I share the concerns about creating a situation that would undercut > Lincoln’s history of inclusionary zoning, or of accelerating the current > trend towards ever greater economic discrimination in town. But, I think > the current set of alternatives being presented will be a net positive > towards the production (and conservation) of moderate and lower income > housing in Lincoln. My hope is that this Saturday we select an alternative > that everyone can agree is a good (albeit imperfect) one, given all the > considerations and constraints that must be considered. > > - Allen Vander Meulen > > On Nov 26, 2023, at 23:32, Sara Mattes 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 > wrote: > > > *From the perspective of ChatGPT...*. > > *What towns in Massachusetts are known for exclusionary
[LincolnTalk] Thoughts on the HCA and Affordable + Moderate Housing in Lincoln
ChatGPT’s screed (as supplied by Ray Shephard and commented-on by Sara Mattes) is definitely disappointing, but also no surprise. It is accurate, though incomplete. There's been a clear trend for at least the last two decades (that I know of, but almost certainly much longer than that) in which moderate priced housing and large subdividable lots in town have been replaced (for the most part) by high end homes on 2 acre lots. This is an inevitable result of our current zoning bylaws, combined with the challenges and uncertainty any developer faces as a result of needing to go through Town meeting to attain approval of nearly any major project. …Few if any developers in Massachusetts will consider, let alone actually enter into, a Town Meeting approval process (not just Lincoln’s). They are not against the Town Meeting process per se. It’s just that they need a process that is predictable: one where if they play by the rules, their efforts and substantial investments will not be derailed at the last minute. (I would be very reluctant to subject myself to that level of risk, the current process requires - as I think anyone would be.) But, even if we claim to be friendly and supportive of development, our last minute rejection of the school project in 2012 forever cemented our reputation as a town that is too risky. Even so, historically, Lincoln has done outstandingly well in terms off creating housing that qualifies as “Affordable” on our town’s Subsidized Housing Inventory, and have done far better in this respect than all but a very few towns throughout the state. Is it “good enough”? (No, definitely not, in my opinion). Further, we have no process or mechanisms designed to encourage the creation or preservation of moderate priced housing. So (and as I was told by a member of the Planning Board years ago): if we stay the current course, Lincoln will inevitably become almost entirely high end homes and estates, with a few “Affordable” enclaves scattered throughout the town, and nothing in between. I have no indication of a lack of interest or support for more affordable housing in town. (In fact, I am certainly constantly encouraged - and even pleasantly surprised - by the amount of support we see whenever the issue comes up.) But, we don't have the structures and processes we need to influence the current trajectory - which I sometimes call “The creeping Weston-ization of Lincoln." There has been a lot of discussion (and angst) over the shape and details of enacting Zoning and Bylaws that conform to the HCA’s requirements, and rightly so: we’re trying to weave a thread through a very complex tangle of competing legacies, interests, goals, requirements, and regulations. No solution is (let alone can be) perfect - but that’s the nature of life (and especially politics). I share the concerns about creating a situation that would undercut Lincoln’s history of inclusionary zoning, or of accelerating the current trend towards ever greater economic discrimination in town. But, I think the current set of alternatives being presented will be a net positive towards the production (and conservation) of moderate and lower income housing in Lincoln. My hope is that this Saturday we select an alternative that everyone can agree is a good (albeit imperfect) one, given all the considerations and constraints that must be considered. - Allen Vander Meulen > On Nov 26, 2023, at 23:32, Sara Mattes 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 >> 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 a
