Around Town

Council President Calls for Recognition of Watertown’s Efforts to Create Housing

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City Council President Mark Sideris speaks at the 2024 Inauguration. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Watertown City Council President Mark Sideris recently wrote a letter to the Boston Globe asking for recognition of the City’s effort to allow housing, going above and beyond the state’s requirements. The letter was published by the Globe on Dec. 14. He wrote it in response to an article the paper ran about how Lexington met the requirements of the MBTA Communities Law and has about 1,000 units in the pipeline to be constructed.

Around Town

Watch the Chamber’s Forum on the Impact Housing Cost; the State’s Competitiveness

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On Wednesday, the Charles River Chamber hosted an event focused on economic development in the region, and heard from the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation, as well as hosting two panels: one of young professionals and another with the planning directors from the Chamber’s four communities — including Watertown’s Steve Magoon. The Chamber provided the following information:

Earlier this week we hosted a program on the UMass Amherst Mount Ida campus exploring our region’s top economic challenges, including housing and workforce, as well as Massachusetts’ competitive strengths and weaknesses. Here’s the event recording, and here’s direct links to the event’s three segments:

– Mass Taxpayers Foundation presentation by Doug Howgate. – Planning directors discussing housing, commercial and economic development

– Young professionals share their housing challenges.

Around Town

Affordable Housing Trust Hosting Listening Session, City Will Submit 5-Year Plan

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Watertown’s Affordable Housing Trust will be hosting a listening session to find out the housing needs, and create a strategy to include in the City’s five-year plan. See information in the announcement from the City of Watertown below. Every five years the federal government asks cities/towns that receive its housing money (like Watertown) to submit a 5-year plan with information about housing needs and strategies. If you want to comment on housing needs and strategies, the City (through its Affordable Housing Trust) will be holding a listening session on December 17, 2024, at 6 PM. The Affordable Housing Trust will take comments from the members of the public on Watertown’s housing needs and strategies at its December 17, 2024, meeting (meeting details at the bottom of this message).

Around Town

New Life Added to Nearly-Century Old Two-Family Home in Watertown

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The two-family home at 21-23 Springfield St. has been renovated by a pair of developers. (Contributed Photo)

A two-family home on Springfield Street has undergone a major transformation that preserved the bones and most of the structure, while creating a pair of modern living spaces. The home at 21-23 Springfield St. was built in 1927 and recently completed a major renovation and expansion.

Around Town

Watertown Using AARP Grant to Start Senior Housing Stabilization Program

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The Watertown Department of Senior Services is proud to launch their Senior Housing Stabilization Program thanks to a 2024 AARP Community Challenge Grant they received. This compassionate initiative is dedicated to providing crucial support and education to seniors and their families facing housing instability in Watertown, MA. Their mission is to ensure that older adults aged 60 years or older can age in place with dignity and security, fostering intergenerational, livable communities where residents of all ages and backgrounds thrive together. This program will run out of the City of Watertown’s MA Department of Senior Services. The Department will provide financial assistance and education on this program and other housing support services eligible to Watertown seniors.

Government

Final Watertown Square Area Plan is Out Now, See More Here

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The City of Watertown released the final version of the Watertown Square Area Plan, which was endorsed by the City Council and Planning Board. Read the full version, which includes all the amendments and additions added during the July 16 public hearing by clicking here, and see some of the highlights in the announcement provided by the City, below. The Watertown City Council and Planning Board held three Public Hearings between June and July to discuss the Area Plan. After discussions among themselves and hearing from the public, the Council and Planning Board officially endorsed the Plan on July 16, 2024. 

What is in this Plan Document? Click Here to Read the Plan

Much of this Plan Document remains unchanged from the initial draft released on May 30, 2024.

Around Town

LETTER: Watertown Cares, Has Responded to City, State & National Needs

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Dear Editor,

It is disconcerting to me, as the city moves forward in implementing the Watertown Square Conceptual Plan, is the constant “we need housing.”  We know that none of the people clamoring for housing are homeless. However, there is nothing wrong with being altruistic and wanting to help others. Wouldn’t how and what is the capacity of Watertown to help reduce housing needs in the Commonwealth be an advantageous approach? I have been especially proud of Watertown in that when none of the surrounding cities and towns would have Halfway Homes in their community, Watertown stepped forward and welcomed those less fortunate into the community. David and Anne Bromer, who we met in Watertown, spearheaded Fair Housing Practices in Massachusetts. They asked Mary and me to assist in testing landlords as to whether they would lease or rent to Black People. To my knowledge, David and Anne did not test in Watertown. 

We know there were some in Watertown who didn’t wish to rent to Black People as there were throughout the state; especially during this period in Boston with its clamor over anti-busing in Schools.

Around Town

LETTER: Watertown Square Plan Decision Should be Made by More than Just Council & Planning Board

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Dear Editor,

It appears Watertown has had Comprehensive Planning Study after Comprehensive PlanningStudies. I served this fair city in a few elected positions for a number of years and am dumbfounded by what I see today. I have considered or prided myself in being a positive person or at least I strived to be. I know many people associate me with flipping burgers; however, before I was a Burger King Franchisee, I spent twenty-five years with the United States Public Health Service (PHS), principally working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). My first assignment out of College was in Los Angeles, then Albuquerque, New Mexico then Boston.