Most of us want the same thing for West Roxbury: a neighborhood where people who grew up here can afford to stay, neighbors can grow old nearby, and new community members can put down roots. Is our current zoning delivering that, or standing in the way?

Our restrictive zoning has pushed the median single-family home price over $800K, with sales regularly crossing $1 million. At those prices, most kids growing up here today won't be able to buy a home here as adults. It cuts the other way too: if aging neighbors want to downsize into something smaller nearby, our current zoning doesn't offer that option.

My family rents and plans to keep renting. More units, whatever form they take, mean more housing for renters like us too, not just future buyers. Right now, our zoning caps nearly every lot at a single unit, limiting the rental pool along with everything else. That's a choice we make with current zoning, but as a neighborhood we can make different choices!

If "keeping generations of families here" is important, as I've heard in public comments, we need flexible housing stock that isn't priced out of reach. Our current rules work against this goal.

The city is holding a virtual meeting on 9/15; details are on the Boston Planning Department's website under "Neighborhood Housing". There is also a West Roxbury Neighborhood Council meeting on Tuesday, 9/22 at 7 p.m. at the E-5 Police Station.

This is the moment to support these zoning changes at the meetings and on the survey https://gvimes.link/nhbrhdzng

Jason Brown

West Roxbury

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