Addressing the demand side
Help people live where there is less costly housing
The preceding sections focused on increasing supply of housing. A major objection often heard in opposition to increasing the supply of housing in Brookline is that the increased population could overwhelm our school system and lessen the quality of the education. I believe we can find reasonable solutions to that question, especially with the increased tax revenue that will be generated by more housing. However, should we also explore ways to dissipate demand? There are other great places to live in Greater Boston with a lower cost of housing. For example, the median single-family house in Natick sold for $635,000 in 2019. But reasonably, people don’t want to spend two hours a day on a packed highway. That drives further demand for living closer to Boston.
What could we do to make other towns closer (in commuting time) to shift demand to other towns? I imagine not much at the town level, but perhaps at the state level. Even if our towns are not the direct beneficiaries, how can we demonstrate support to our state representatives for efforts such as the following.
- High speed rail to central and western Massachusetts
- Highway lanes dedicated to busses and high occupancy vehicles
- Support for remote working
- Other ideas?
Questions? Email me and let's set up a time to discuss your real estate needs.
AVI KAUFMAN is a top broker who lives in Brookline, Massachusetts and works there and surrounding communities, assisting buyers and sellers of residential property. He is building a unique practice dedicated to serving the best interest of his clients - see how he's different.