In August 2021, our armed forces evacuated Afghanistan as the Taliban flowed into Kabul. Among those desperate to leave the country were two of our neighborhood families, the Niazys and the Kabirs. The fathers of both families had served in our counterterrorism effort against the Taliban, one in the Afghan security service, working alongside U.S. troops in combat and noncombat roles, and the other as a lawyer working with a government contractor. They served the cause of democracy and supported our national interest, putting their lives at risk. They were granted protected status and allowed to come to the United States as refugees.
At about the same time, after careful consideration, voters at our fall 2021 Town Meeting asked the Select Board to sell the then-vacant Bromfield House in order to preserve it and relieve the town of the cost of property insurance, utilities, and maintenance. A subsequent vote protected the house within the town’s historic district.
In 2022, the Select Board approved the use of the Bromfield House for the refugees, as it was vacant during litigation prior to sale. This plan aligned with donor Margaret Bromfield Blanchard’s priority of education, particularly education for girls, since living in the house has given the children, 10 of whom are girls, the opportunity to attend our fine schools.
On Feb. 6, the Select Board voted to end the families’ lease on June 30 and to begin the process of selling the house. This decision was made in alignment with the 2021 Town Meeting vote.
However, circumstances at the Bromfield House have changed significantly since 2021, and we, as a town, owe the board updated guidance. I submitted a citizen petition to the board to give us this opportunity. Approved as Article 24 for the upcoming Town Meeting, it proposes that we ask the board to delay selling the Bromfield House for at least five years and allow the families to continue living there, in exchange for payments of utilities, property insurance, and a fair and appropriate rent.
On March 5, the Select Board voted to extend the families’ lease by one year and to explore options, including selling it to a nonprofit resettlement agency. This would be a great plan, since it would accomplish both the sale of the house and support for the refugees.
This plan would involve working with the courts, identifying a buyer, and working within the budgets and timelines of the buyer and possibly the town’s Municipal Affordable Housing Trust (MAHT); there may be unforeseen obstacles and delays. Article 24 will allow voters to express their support for the Select Board’s process, giving the board a clear message that we want to give these families our full support while the board finalizes its plan.
A fortuitous move for the families and for the town
The opportunity to live in the Bromfield House was fortuitous. According to MAHT, recent dramatic increases in housing prices and interest rates and extreme demand for shelter space and affordable housing would make it extremely difficult for the families to find another place to live.
The refugees’ experience since arriving in Harvard demonstrates the remarkable efforts of these families and the welcoming nature of our community. One of the fathers, who previously managed a large hotel in Kabul, now works in the Bromfield kitchen; the other, formerly a lawyer, works in Devens. They are learning English, saving money, and focusing on the future. Their children have been welcomed at our schools. They are working hard in class and helping their families get ahead. Three of the older children recently passed the English MCAS exam, and, as a group, they are reportedly the most academically successful Afghan refugees in the region. They are learning English quickly and acting as interpreters for their parents. Two of the daughters, Behishta and Hawa, both seniors, work part time at the General Store and contribute their paychecks to their families. They are grateful to be here and acutely aware of how different life would have been back home, especially after receiving news that Hawa’s former classmate was kidnapped as a child bride by the Taliban. Between the two families are 16 children, ranging in age from 1 to 18. They are our children’s friends, classmates, and teammates. Their presence in our town has offered us new, unique, and valuable perspectives, and their example is a lesson in resilience for us and our children.
Hosting the families at the Bromfield House has brought unexpected benefits to the town. Resident Terry Symula has raised significant state and private funds for the benefit of the families, and about $100,000 in maintenance and improvements has been put into the house at no cost to us, including new interior and exterior paint, refinished floors, new fire alarm and water softener systems, and a renovated kitchen and bathrooms, with about $50,000 remaining. These funds are tied to the families—if they stay, the funds will benefit us; if they leave, we will lose this benefit. The funds will be particularly helpful in mitigating the lead problem that was recently discovered in the house and must be remediated before the house is sold. We will benefit financially from the increased value made possible by these funds.
Under Article 24, the Bromfield House will provide a modest cash flow as it appreciates and is maintained and improved with donated funds. The article will also give us a rare chance to demonstrate, in a tangible and impactful way, our commitment to the principle of democracy by helping these families, who have been our allies, in their time of need—families who, in turn, have enriched the character of our community. Article 24 is a “win-win” for the town, and I hope you will support it at Town Meeting.
Ten-year resident and small business owner Jason Cole initiated the citizen petition, Article 24, to extend the Bromfield lease to five years. He became acquainted with the families who currently live there through his children.
