Fizek: Reality-based representation, please

Much has been said -claimed- about how we must accept unqualified State housing projections and support whatever the private sector wants in the ‘supply side economics’ promise to provide “affordable housing.”

Unfortunately, this is not a very effective nor realistic way to achieve much truly affordable housing. Nor shall it do much to correct the distortions in housing costs provided to us by the ‘free market.’ 

The economic and geographic realities of metro Boston and Newton are particularly unsuitable to achieving much new low-cost housing. Moreover, those limited locations that may offer some opportunities are often where there is already existing ‘naturally affordable’ homes and apartments. 

Housing development there only further distorts land costs and results in gentrification and displacement of existing residents.

On a smaller scale, we can see how the developers have wasted many hundreds of our starter homes and replaced these with larger, very unaffordable ones. 

These are the realities in which we live. There are certainly some hopeful alternatives to slowing the destruction of the existing, and for the creation of truly affordable housing. Yet it will take much more careful planning and creative approaches than merely offering up our already quite walkable and “vibrant” Villages and neighborhoods… to be replaced by whatever and wherever the developers want to overbuild — and offer a few lower-cost units to satisfy the pretense of ‘Newton for Everyone.’ 

I would prefer to elect representatives that are more aware of the realities and limitations of our situation, and are willing to work Newton with everyone in the community to do what can work best here in the most effective ways possible. I endorse Lisa Gordon, John Chaimanis, and Julie Irish.

Robert Fizek, Architect
Newton Highlands