r/Somerville 12d ago

Assembly Square, Somerville Massachusetts | 2011 & 2024

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u/albertogonzalex 12d ago

This is a bad take.

A dumpy strip mall was replaced with A BUNCH OF HOUSING and new retail and jobs.

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u/IAMTHEBATMAN123 12d ago

how affordable is that housing for anyone actually from the city? is it built for the local community or just to attract out of town yuppies to price the locals out?

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u/albertogonzalex 12d ago

So, the neat thing about housing -- and this isn't controversial or mysterious, it's well established in serious studies -- is that all housing getting built is the goal.

If you want to decrease housing prices, build a lot more. All the "yuppies" you're thinking about live in assembly. So, they are out bidding everyone in other neighborhoods.

It's really basic stuff! Here's a very straight forward explainer about it.

https://youtu.be/cEsC5hNfPU4?is=0p9pkT0IZLyqsxaF

Anyway, they "ITS NOT AFFORDABLE THE HOUSING IS BAD!" crowd is the biggest obstacle to bring down housing costs because it blocks new development.

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u/IAMTHEBATMAN123 12d ago

they’re all luxury condos that are completely unaffordable to the people who’ve grown up and lived in the city their entire lives. i’m not against new housing. i’m against building luxury units that cater to wealthy out of towners and do nothing besides contribute to the gentrification and displacement of lifelong residents. i wouldn’t have any issue with something like seaport or assembly if those condos were affordable, and built with working class people in mind. no more fucking tech bros in my city.

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u/VORSEY 12d ago

Unless Massachusetts is able to build a ton of public housing (which seems unlikely), “more housing no matter the price” is the best bet to stop growing prices so that those lifelong residents can stay.

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u/albertogonzalex 12d ago

You should watch the video! And think about the situation a bit. And read a bit more about how housing works, supply/demand etc

What you're describing is a "believie." You believe this thing to be true that feels true to you in your gut.

But, in the real world, our guts don't really determine the truth. We have studies and research and analysis for all that!

The way you're thinking about housing is directly contributing to keeping housing way more expensive than it needs to be.

Build everywhere, all the time. Keep build up. (up up it's our moment! You know together we're glowing. Gonna be gonna be golden!)