
Greg Reibman
In his most recent column, Scott Van Voorhis suggests that the recent repeal of the MBTA Communities Act compliance plan by voters in Needham might have turned out differently if only the One Commonwealth fund had invested more money into combatting the effort.
I was not directly involved with the “YES for Needham” campaign, which received $10,000 from the nonprofit created by Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. (My organization also contributed $1,000.)
But I’ve been fully engaged in the push to diversify housing in Needham for decades and I was fully in the trenches throughout the Jan. 14 referendum. And I don’t believe more money would have made a difference in a vote that was ultimately decided by an 18-point margin.
From my vantage point, the YES campaign pulled every tried-and-true lever. Lawn signs were everywhere. Canvassers knocked on doors. Volunteers manned phone banks every day except Christmas and New Year’s. There was direct mail, door hangers, multiple public forums, text messaging and on and on.
In addition, One Commonwealth’s team also provided helpful technical advice, best practices, messaging suggestions and moral support every step of the way.
On top of that, the town’s local advocacy group, the Needham Housing Coalition, had been working for years to build a case for housing diversity. They organized educational programs, brought in guest speakers and held walking tours. The local environmental group, Green Needham, did the same, touting multi-family, transit-oriented housing in a community blessed with four commuter rail stations.
Our chamber was all-in, too. Working with CHAPA and with encouragement from Bob Rivers at Eastern Bank, we created a training program to help local business leaders that I believe was unprecedented in Massachusetts. It included tutorials on the zoning plan and talking points to explain how housing was critical to their success. Then we recorded them and shared their contacts with local media.
Our local hospital president explained how long waits in his ER were related to staffing shortages due to housing. Needham-based senior and childcare providers discussed how housing for their workforce impeded their ability to meet residents’ needs. The CEO of a local tech company, a sector that contributes substantially to Needham’s tax base, spoke about his inability to attract young talent.
Most impactfully – or so we had hoped – beloved local restauranteurs and shop owners discussed how foot traffic from more housing would help them thrive.
Something Darker in Needham
No, it wasn’t a lack of campaign spending, nor One Commonwealth’s fault. Rather, it was because: Permitting housing in the suburbs is hard.
For over a half-century, suburban communities have employed exclusionary housing practices to keep development out. And while several polls last year suggested the public finally recognizes the severity of Massachusetts housing supply and affordability crisis, the refrain
“I support more housing, just not that housing” hasn’t subsided and was often heard in Needham.
There was something darker at play in Needham too: The de-evolution of public discourse and trust that’s become part of our national discourse has infested local politics.
Opponents and proponents employed different sets of facts. There was not a lot of listening going on. There was the usual fear of change but a new permissibility to throw red meat at it.
We now have a deep distrust in government solutions. Needham is regarded as one of the best-run municipalities in the state. And yet voters seemingly refused to believe town leaders or independent consultants when they said the new housing allowed under the compliance plan would be revenue-positive; would not overcrowd schools; or over-tax infrastructure.
If we want to reverse our economy- and soul-crushing housing crisis, we’re going to need new strategies and approaches to win public support.
Simply flooding the zone with campaign cash won’t be enough.
Greg Reibman is president of the Charles River Regional Chamber, serving Newton, Needham, Watertown and Wellesley.