Chapter 40B is not the answer to having more affordable housing in Harvard. 40B creates more problems than it solves because it forces high density housing projects on us that have 75 percent market rate units. The veracity of this statement is well documented in the Peterson Report (see www.HarvardSlowGrowthInitiative.com).
It is time to join tens of thousands of citizens from around the state who are signing the petition to get “Repeal 40B” onto the 2008 state-wide ballot. Look for local volunteers at various places around town such as the transfer station, post office, or farm stands. It only takes a minute to sign the petition and help end this developer welfare program, which has not been successful in creating an adequate amount of affordable housing. 40B needs to be replaced with different measures, which have proven to work in other states—for example, the adoption by local governments of “inclusionary” zoning that forces developers to provide affordable units in their non-40B projects. This has proven to be a much more effective approach than 40B for the city of Boston.
When citizens are successful in repealing 40B, more productive programs for developing affordable housing will emerge. In Harvard, converting older buildings to affordable units has been the most effective means for adding affordable units while maintaining the character of the town. The creative citizens of Harvard can work together to provide the affordable housing that we really need for teachers, police officers, DPW workers, seniors, etc. Most of these families, by the way, do not qualify under 40B for affordable housing, so we will be helping them by repealing 40B and supporting more efficacious approaches to providing affordable housing for the current Harvard residents or employees who really need it.
Anthony J. Marolda
Jacob Gates Road
