Roslindale residents showed up in good faith for the city’s Squares+Streets (S+S) planning process. We attended meetings, reviewed proposals, and engaged thoughtfully with the idea that modest increases in housing—especially near our commercial centers—are part of a broader solution to Greater Boston’s housing shortage.

We are already beginning to see results. Projects along Washington Street, like the B’nai B’rith Housing all-affordable senior development and proposals at 4487 and 4301 Washington Street, reflect the kind of incremental, context-sensitive growth envisioned in the plan. Public comment has leaned strongly in support, suggesting that when given the opportunity, residents will back thoughtful, well-located housing.

That participation was rooted not only in a belief that the plan would benefit our neighborhood, but also in a recognition that every community must do its part to address a regional crisis.

That’s why it’s concerning to see pushback against similar proposals in places like Cleary Square. If individual neighborhoods opt out of adding even moderate levels of housing, the burden doesn’t disappear – it just shifts. In practice, that means increased pressure on places like Roslindale to absorb demand that should be more evenly distributed across the city.

The Planning Department has already identified a wide range of neighborhood centers – from Allston Village and Brighton Center to Fields Corner, Grove Hall, and West Roxbury Centre – as strong candidates for this kind of modest, transit-oriented growth. Moving forward in Cleary Square should be the beginning, not the exception.

Roslindale engaged in good faith and is beginning to see the benefits. The city now has an obligation to follow through—not just in Cleary Square, but across the neighborhoods it has identified. If Boston is serious about addressing housing affordability, it cannot continue to rely on one or two communities to carry the load. This is a citywide challenge, and it demands a citywide commitment.

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Sincerely,

Andrew Murray

Roslindale