As noted in our goals for 2017, scrutinizing and explaining efforts to balance the preference of Harvard residents for open space against a demonstrable need for affordable housing and smaller homes for seniors is a task the Press has set for itself for the coming year. But we could use some help. We’re searching for an aspiring reporter to meet that goal. Could you be the one we’re looking for?
Like all of our beats, this one entails following the work of town committees and departments, in this case the ones that set the rules for development and act on housing and land-use proposals. These include the Planning Board, the Conservation Commission, the Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, and nonprofit groups such as the Conservation Trust. But as you dig into the subject, you’ll find plenty of story ideas that go well beyond meeting agendas. The only job requirements are curiosity and an ability to write clearly and concisely. We’ll teach you the reporting skills, writing style, and ethical guidelines you’ll need to become an effective Press reporter, and your work will be backed by the Press editorial team.
To get a sense of whether this assignment might be right for you, take a look at Chapter 4 of the 2016 Master Plan, which enumerates the housing and land-use challenges the town will face in the next 10 years. (It’s available on the Planning Board website.) The topics you find there are the ones on which you would be reporting.
Our pay is modest, but we’re a collegial group, and the work is important to our readers and rewarding on many levels. If interested in knowing more, please write to us at editor@harvardpress.net, or drop by the office for a chat.
