Andreae Downs is running for her fourth term as one of two At-Large members of Newton’s City Council from Ward 5. Chair of the Public Safety and Transportation (PS&T) Committee, Councilor Downs said her focus in running for office is on building community. In her view, local government is the foundation of democracy and the level of government with the most direct impact on residents. Voting locally is essential if people want more political control over their lives, she explains.
Among her accomplishments in her six-year tenure, Councilor Downs notes Newton’s Climate Action Plan with its emphasis on renewable energy, expanding off-road trails along the carriageways, requiring additional parkland with expansion of carriageways, a car-free section of Albemarle Road, better trails at Cold Spring Park, and expansion of safe bicycle lanes. As Director of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s Wastewater Advisory Committee, she takes particular pride in increases in Newton’s “green infrastructure” — small parklets designed to detain and remove pollutants from water — as well as some measures to improve biodiversity by establishing pollinator gardens. Concerns about environmental impact drive her plan to vote against the City’s plan to use artificial turf on Newton’s playing fields. She notes that disposal will be expensive as more landfills ban PFAS chemicals – also known as “forever chemicals” – that are components of artificial turf.
A proponent of the draft Village Center Overlay Design (VCOD), Councilor Downs believes “if we want more people to have more options for living, VCOD is the tool for that.” Stressing that the plan is still changing, she thinks that her colleagues are united in a common goal of offering more housing accessibility, although they do not agree on the details. She suggests that ongoing meetings will resolve differences. Offering evidence of the possibility of agreements, she cited a recent PS&T meeting in which all her colleagues who support or oppose the VCOD unanimously voted to deny a petition to lift the winter parking ban.
She has heard criticism by people who worry that plans based on VCOD will ultimately result in a massive number of teardowns near village centers. She counters that the MRT (Multi Residence Transit) zoning specification was created to incentivize preservation of larger buildings, including Newton’s Victorians, so older buildings can be preserved and repurposed as housing for three or more households. Adding additional stories above stores will create housing options for people who do not want to drive everywhere, she said.
Thinking about “vibrant” village centers, she offers Newtonville as an example of an area “with a lot of foot traffic, where people want to be because walking is comfortable and it’s an interesting place to be.” She explains that Newtonville has meeting places and a good mix of businesses where people can complete multiple errands. She also likes the mix of businesses in Nonantum’s village center, but she is concerned about the narrowness of Watertown Street and parking on both sides, which make it more dangerous for walking and biking.
Housing affordability relies on expanding the supply, Councilor Downs maintains. She cites a 2019 report in the Boston Globe that says the Boston area added about 2.5 more jobs than homes from 2008-2019, and the shortage of homes keeps housing expensive for everyone. Housing Choice, also called the MBTA Communities Act, requires Newton to allow more housing near public transportation. It’s a step in the right direction, says Councilor Downs, but it will be a long time before we meet the area’s need for housing. At the moment, people are commuting long distances to work. “It’s a puzzle that I’d really like to help solve,” she said. One way in which she tries to help is through a regular newsletter. As a City Councilor, she thinks it’s important to listen to constituents and disseminate information to them.
Councilor Downs is a member of the Friends of Cold Spring Park, Albemarle Park, and others, as well as the League of Women Voters of Newton, Green Newton, and the Tree Conservancy. Before becoming a City Councilor, she worked as a freelance reporter for the Boston Globe.
More information is on her campaign website, andreae4newton.org.
