By Linda Scott
Watertown Resident
First, I’d like to thank all of the candidates for office for putting themselves out there. It’s a grueling process, and I appreciate your efforts. And congratulations to those who were elected. Let’s wish them all great success in these challenging times. Their success is our success.
I’ve received quite a few comments after my last letter in Watertown News entitled ”Because There are No Kings.” See: https://www.watertownmanews.com/2025/10/31/letter-candidates-violating-election-rules-posting-signs-on-city-property/#comment-62905
The question often posed came down to four simple words: Why these three candidates?
This simple four word, coyly accusatory question (“Why these three candidates?) implied that this was the only time that I’ve reported on election irregularities this election season; that these candidates were somehow targeted for their race. But this was not the case. I also commented in Watertown News on another illegal political posting earlier in the season.
Because I placed this election infraction in the comments section of Watertown News and not in letter form, it apparently went unnoticed. Perhaps this election infraction deserves its own letter, so here goes. HAW (Housing for All Watertown), illegally posted signs on poles all over Watertown Square earlier this election season with the large words “Legalize Affordable Housing” and a QR code on them. See below:
I’m guessing this deceptive statement (affordable housing is already legal in Watertown, after all) was meant to get the attention of folks who haven’t been paying as close attention to convince the m to join HAW and thus receive their political recommendations.
An alert citizen noticed the signs and reported them to the City. The City, being consistent with its policies, after using the QR code and discovering that it corresponded with an email of a HAW leader, sent a cease and desist letter to HAW for the removal of these illegally placed signs.
I’d like to point out that this Watertown election infraction that I mentioned in Watertown News in October is the responsibility of this group:
The people in the center are all HAW leadership. They are, from left to right, Daniel Pritchard, Rita Colafella, Sam Ghirlardi, Amy Plovnick, and Josh Rosmarin. The woman at the left end (Kassie Infante) and the man at the right end (Jesse Kanson-Benanav) are not HAW. They are from Abundant Housing MA (Picture from Watertown News, December 9, 2023).
Since HAW is a political group that’s been in Watertown for a few years now, ignorance of the City’s rules does not seem likely.
Finally, a followup:
A group, Abundant Housing, (see the folks on the ends above) that has financed HAW since the beginning has changed its address. It was originally located in Jamaica Plain.
An aside, I love JP! I worked there for quite a few years and fell in love with the people and the neighborhoods. So, one nice day a few years ago, I decided to take a drive to JP to see Abundant Housing’s offices.
Here’s where Abundant Housing was located in 2023:
And here’s its address now:
Money in housing politics sure must be good!
I encourage you to read the following article to see what one of Watertown’s HAW leaders, Josh Rosmarin, is currently working on: https://massterlist.com/2025/07/17/a-yimby-super-pac-enters-the-arena/
An Opinion: An affordable housing Super Pac “which can operate with few restrictions on its fundraising and spending” funded by developers … strange bedfellows, indeed! What could possibly go wrong?
Finally, I’m grateful to Watertown News for their patience with this clarifying update.