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It’s already the end of July! This week’s newsletter covers the following topics: The upcoming 2021 election calendar and vote-by-mail, updates from my re-election campaign and an upcoming Disability Policy event, a discussion of revising precinct lines in Newton, two possible changes in local affordable housing policy, and other local updates.
The city preliminary election contest has been set! On September 14, 2021, voters will be able to cast their ballots for the offices of Mayor and Ward Councilor for Ward 1 (Nonantum/Newton Corner), in both cases to reduce the number of candidates in each race from 3 to 2 for the November election.
Beyond September, there will be contested elections in the following races, which voters will be able to vote on in the November general election:
Ward Councilors for Ward 2, Ward 3, Ward 5, & Ward 6 (voted only in those wards)
Councilors-at-Large (voted citywide) for Ward 1, Ward 3, Ward 5, & Ward 6
School Committee (voted citywide) for Wards 6 & 7. FYI: The open seats in Wards 1, 2, & 8 ended up with only 1 candidate each.
Yesterday, the state officially extended vote-by-mail opportunities for municipal elections through the end of the year (unless a municipality opts out for some reason). Any Newton voter will thus be able to vote-by-mail in the September preliminary and November general elections this year, but you will have to request that a ballot be sent to you. Neither ballots nor applications for ballots will be automatically mailed to everyone. In-person voting would still be happening as well, with continued special covid-19 precautions. Some precincts changed locations multiple times in the past two years due to the pandemic or building renovations, and you should check yours again before you go to vote.
I am not sure yet when the vote-by-mail ballot applications will be available for the September preliminary or when they will be due, since this change just happened and the candidate withdrawal deadline has not yet passed to finalize the ballot completely, but I will include that information in a newsletter when it becomes available.
Campaign Trail Update
This year, I am honored to once again have the endorsement of the Massachusetts Nurses Association for my re-election campaign, which represents Newton's school nurses and many Ward 5 residents.
I am also grateful, as I noted in a recent newsletter, to have the endorsement of former Ward 5 Councilor John Rice as I seek re-election. Councilor Rice was known in office for his responsiveness to constituent service questions, a tradition I have worked hard to maintain during my first term in office.
Last weekend, I also finished my first round of door knocking around Ward 5! Since the end of May, I have visited over 800 homes, reaching out to about 2,000 voters to see how they're doing and whether I can help with city issues. People were generally home about 50% of the time! Overwhelmingly, voters I spoke to over the past 2 months seem happy with the work that I'm doing. I feel confident I can serve them well again in a second term.
The good news this week now that the candidate filing deadline has passed: I don't have a preliminary election in September (although there will be one for Mayor and in Ward 1, as noted earlier). But: I do have an opponent in November, and she has made clear that she completely opposes my agenda. If you support local environmental action and making Newton a community for everyone, and if you appreciate my tireless constituent services work, I hope you will support me for re-election to a second term.
If you would like to request a Humphrey re-election lawn sign to be delivered after the mid-September preliminary, please use this form.
New Precincts Next Year
Every 10 years, the Ward and Precinct lines are redrawn after the US Census. They are being redrawn this year, but would not take effect before the 2021 municipal elections. Given my past experience knocking doors in every corner of Newton and my participation in the University of Delaware Geography Department program, I have been appointed by Council President Susan Albright to a small working group, along with Councilors Maria Greenberg (Ward 1), Brenda Noel (Ward 6), and Becky Grossman (Ward 7). We are also joined by city staff from the Elections office and our Geographic Information System (GIS) planner.
The state has given us some preliminary data and an initial suggested map, but we will be receiving finalized data in a few weeks, at which point the working group will work with our city GIS planner to move around the US Census blocks of population until the eight wards are balanced and the precincts are balanced. While we hope to minimize disruptions or weird boundaries, sometimes it is unavoidable given the state requirements for how the boundaries are defined and how the population balancing works. (For example, one isolated side of a street might end up in a different precinct due to the state rules on boundaries.) That being said, a key goal for me will be to try to keep the neighborhoods as coherent as possible within wards or precincts and to avoid strange gerrymandering whenever we can.
While there was an initial suggested map that made significant changes to Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7, we were given some latitude by the state to revise some of those changes once the final data comes in. They generate suggestions with a semi-automated program that doesn’t know anything about Newton, and we have to then apply our own local understanding of neighborhood geography and communities to the revision process.
The full City Council will vote to approve a final map in a couple months. We are making sure to solicit input from all Councilors during the revision process to try to catch any potential problems before the map is completed. And we will be keeping an eye on where current office holders and registered candidates live so that we don’t accidentally or unfairly move someone into a different Ward, which sometimes happened in the past.
Pettee Sq update
Last week, I sat in on the beginning of the Public Facilities Committee meeting to hear the “#290-21 Request for public way improvements at Pettee Square” discussion and vote.
City staff joined the committee to discuss their official request for the infrastructure and traffic safety changes at the intersection of Oak St & Chestnut St in Newton Upper Falls as designed in the recent study funded by the MassWorks state grant. The main component will be a raised-table intersection there and a raised road crossing for the Greenway path.
I spoke in favor of the proposal, giving my thoughts on how this proposal is simultaneously a safety project and an economic revitalization project for the Upper Falls Village Center by making this a safely walkable area for customers, Greenway walkers, and just residents socializing. People will be able to walk back and forth between the restaurants, the Depot cafe, and various picnic tables and gathering spots. These all already exist, but connecting them more safely for foot traffic will help generate both business and recreation.
The committee ultimately voted 6-0 in support of the raised intersection proposed for Oak St & Chestnut St.
Update on proposed Ward 5 coffee drive-throughs
After the City Council’s Land Use Committee hearing held on July 13, the proposal for a drive-through Starbucks on the westbound side of Route 9 between Woodward St and Dickerman Rd was withdrawn. As explained in my last newsletter, those who attended the hearing held reservations about the impacts opening a drive-through would have on local traffic patterns. Others felt it conflicted with our city’s walkability aims and environmental goals.
A second Land Use Committee hearing was held on Tuesday for the proposal of a drive-through Dunkin’ on Route 9 eastbound in Ward 5. I have similar concerns with that location, although it has somewhat different traffic pattern implications. The Committee did not vote on the issue during the hearing, seeking further revisions and discussion between the petitioners, city planners, and outside peer reviewers, but the committee did take public comment, which was very useful. You can continue to weigh in by emailing the City Council.
Disability Policy event August 18th
This week marked the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. On Wednesday August 18th, 2021, at 5:30 PM on Zoom, Emma Applbaum, Nathan Persampieri, Jean Weinberg, Jennifer Nash, Don Bronstein, and Eileen Sandberg invite you to join them for a “Conversation on Disabilities.” Nine City Councilors running for re-election (including me) and first-time candidate Meryl Kessler will share their priorities for this coming term, including making Newton a better community for people living with a disability. Also joining the discussion will be current Newton School Committee member Kathy Shields and candidates Shawn Fitzgibbons & Rajeev Parlikar. The registration link for this event is: https://forms.gle/Qo3djVZhkN5AxNKn7
Beacon St bike lanes progress
Since just before the lockdown in March 2020, your six City Councilors for Wards 5 & 6 were in discussions with the Planning Department about painting additional bike lane access along Beacon St from the edge of Waban at Washington St to Newton Centre (with some short gaps where we have not figured out how to make bike lanes work yet without more major road changes). We held a community listening session with a great turnout last June. This month you might have noticed the new Beacon St bike lanes finally appeared in Waban Square and elsewhere.
Emergency Utilities & Rental Assistance
Now that the moratorium has been lifted for utilities and eviction, you or someone you know might need help keeping utilities on. Please know that the City of Newton’s Cousens Fund may be able to assist with a deposit to the utility company or landlord to prevent a shut off or eviction. The trustees are prepared to process these requests quickly to avoid undue hardship. Do not hesitate to contact director Kathy Laufer with any questions or referrals. The Horace Cousens Industrial Fund is a charitable trust, established in 1930, which gives financial grants to Newton residents who are faced with a temporary but severe financial problem. You can apply for assistance with this form: https://www.newtonma.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/41413/637412214085900000
If you need help catching up on back rent, Metro Housing Boston is providing relief on that front, and the organization CAN-DO is helping Newton residents navigate the application process for that aid.
If you are a renter and owe back rent there is funding available from the state to pay your back rent. You can apply for the funding from Metro Housing Boston at bit.ly/Rentrelief. It is an online application. There are certain documents that are necessary to complete the application. The three documents needed for your application to be considered complete are: A picture ID; Proof of income or evidence of loss of income; Evidence of need – statement from landlord; proof of crisis.
CAN-DO, has recruited a team of volunteers to assist anyone who would like help in applying. On Saturday, August 7th from 10 am to 3 pm at Brigham House, 20 Hartford Street, Newton Highlands, there will be in-person appointments to receive help on your application process. If you would like help, please contact CAN-DO at info@newtoncan-do.org or call 617-527-5071 and leave a message stating you would like help. Please include your name and contact information including a phone number. You will receive a call back to schedule an appointment.
Affordable Housing Trust?
On Monday, the Zoning & Planning Committee held a meeting to discuss a proposed Affordable Housing Trust for Newton.
As currently proposed, the Trust would have the authority to acquire land but would likely be helping to fund outside affordable housing project construction, not building projects directly. It would be made up of seven trustees: the Mayor, a Councilor appointed by the Council President, a Community Preservation Commission member, and four Mayoral appointees (confirmed by the Council) from a variety of Newton backgrounds and with policy experience in affordable housing development.
It would receive funding from a diverse set of sources, possibly including from Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds, inclusionary zoning payments, negotiated developer fees, payments from special bylaws/ordinances, and private donations. (We also hope the state will eventually allow local municipalities to adopt a real estate transfer fee as another funding source.)
Unlike the Community Preservation Commission, the Trust would be able to spend money studying possible affordable housing development opportunities ahead of time, as opposed to just reacting to funding requests on a case by case basis. It would also have an application process with clear review requirements and procedures for projects requesting funds, based on established program guidelines and the City’s affordable housing goals.
This means the Trust, and by extension the City, could move faster to seize on opportunities in the market as they arise. However, the Trust would still not be able to unilaterally approve projects. The normal approval process would still apply (either City Council Special Permit or ZBA 40B review), but it would kick-start processes faster.
To read the full memorandum about the proposed Affordable Housing Trust, click here.
Local preference debate continues
During the same Zoning and Planning Committee meeting on Monday, the Committee also took up discussion of Local Preference policy changes.
Local Preference is a policy prioritizing affordable housing for local residents in the lottery for newly available units. Currently, the policy provides a preference for already-Newton-based housing applicants for up to 70% of the Inclusionary Units (i.e. legally-required affordable apartment units in housing developments).
The Planning Department is recommending that the city lower this percentage to some number between 35% and 50%. At the moment, the Council has not reached a consensus on an exact number.
Read the full text of the possible amendment here.
You can read my more detailed examination of the reasons why this policy change is being considered in a newsletter I sent out in April.
Traffic Council Action on Allen Ave
Earlier this year, in an effort to improve traffic flow and road safety, Councilor Andreae Downs and I requested the installation of new stop signs at five new Waban locations close together: Allen Ave southbound at Woodward St; Pine Ridge Rd eastbound at Allen Ave; Plainfield St eastbound at Allen Ave; Avalon Rd eastbound at Allen Ave; and Woodhaven Rd eastbound at Allen Ave. The request was approved this month by the Traffic Council on a 5-0 vote but may be appealed through the close of business on August 11. Other safety improvements on Allen Ave are slated for construction later this summer.