This Monday, Aug. 10th, the city will hold a public meeting to update the public about the Watertown Square Demonstration Project at 6 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library.
For those who need a reminder, here’s where things stand. The city has proposed redevelopment of the parking lot behind CVS, along with several adjacent private parcels of land. The project will add 200-300 new units of market rate housing (including 30-45 new deed-restricted affordable units through our inclusionary zoning ordinance) as well as some new public open space.
However, the current proposal spends one of our city’s most precious resources — public land — on a large above-ground parking garage. We believe that is a miscalculation.
As we wrote here in April, we believe there are two options that would be much better for the community than what the Manager has presented:
- Deed-restricted affordable housing above the parking garage with first-floor retail, or
- a 100% affordable housing development instead of the garage.
We urge the city to seek partnerships with nonprofit housing developers to better understand the opportunities for this public land. Those nonprofits are experts in creative problem-solving, funding opportunities, and feasibility.
The city should also share the calculations behind its plans, so the public can better understand the manager’s recommendations.
The meeting on Monday, Aug. 10th will represent the first time that the City Council will meet in its role as the city’s Redevelopment Authority. This is an important opportunity to hear an update on the city’s plans and research — and to advocate for desperately-needed dedicated affordable housing in the Square.
If you would like to see dedicated affordable housing in our community, please attend this upcoming meeting and have your voice heard!
Sincerely,
Housing for All Watertown Steering Committee
Rita Colafella, Sam Ghilardi, Daniel Pritchard, Josh Rosmarin, and Jacky van Leeuwen