Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 1d

Of course. But I was surprised to see people waiting for others to leave (like cars do every day, and why biking for the grocery run is faster than driving). Was crazy, though also a great day to bike for errands. Loved seeing all ages and types of bikes fill the rack too.

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 1d

There's never enough parking at Trader Joe's. @americanfietser.bsky.social #brookline

3 7 57

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 1d

Great to see @abundanthousingma.org advocating that the Mayor use some of her political capital to push for substantive action on zoning reform and other efforts to increase housing supply in Boston.

Survey says Wu should do more to bring down Boston’s sky-high rents - The Boston Globe

A poll by a state housing advocacy group found that most Bostonians want the city to move more aggressively to build more and rein in housing costs.

www.bostonglobe.com

4 14

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 2d

Mind numbingly wonderful afternoon of Lego sorting, even if progress is slow and the end feels far away.

3

Reposted by Jeff Wachter

Jonathan Berk 🏠 @berkie1.bsky.social · 3d

“A lot of times, we’re reluctant to change on really dumb things.”

Many of the rules shaping what we can and can’t build today were written 50–60 years ago. If we want to meet Massachusetts’ modern housing needs, everything should be on the table for reform.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/10/05/o...

Why five feet of building space can doom construction - The Boston Globe

1973 law on high-rise threshold is out of sync with national recommendations.

www.bostonglobe.com

9 47

Reposted by Jeff Wachter

Weasel Cheese @weaselcheese.com · 3d

Amanda Litman has fast become one of my favorite writers of the mid-20s. Please don’t think any less of her just because one boomer thinks she’s awesome. Just read her stuff.

@amandalitman.bsky.social

“Work won’t love you back” open.substack.com/pub/amandali...

Work won't love you back

That doesn't mean you can't love your work! But know the limits of this love.

open.substack.com

1 4 28

Reposted by Jeff Wachter

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 9d

We need to address both housing supply & ensuring family-sized homes that aren't just suburban single-families. Legalizing single-stair (w/safe construction materials) can help with both. We shouldn't be re-inventing the wheel w/long commissions; learn from places like Seattle & get it implemented.

Do apartment buildings really need two stairwells? - The Boston Globe

Fire safety advances have made single-stair construction safer.

www.bostonglobe.com

5 16

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 9d

We need to address both housing supply & ensuring family-sized homes that aren't just suburban single-families. Legalizing single-stair (w/safe construction materials) can help with both. We shouldn't be re-inventing the wheel w/long commissions; learn from places like Seattle & get it implemented.

Do apartment buildings really need two stairwells? - The Boston Globe

Fire safety advances have made single-stair construction safer.

www.bostonglobe.com

5 16

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 9d

Good explainer from Susan Gittelman on the minimum lot-size reform ballot initiative. Mandating half acre or acre+ lots for a single family house, especially in an area with high land costs like metro Boston, forces only large and expensive houses to be built.

Minimum Lot-Size Reform Is a Modest Idea with Big Potential

A proposed 2026 ballot initiative could seed housing production by making it easier to build more affordable single-family starter homes in Massachusetts.

bankerandtradesman.com

2 3

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 10d

We got there a bit after it started, a little after 5. Saw the city charter table and people collecting signatures to bring California-style jungle primaries to MA. (Not sure how I feel about it, but interesting to think about.)

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 10d

Kid couldn't get enough so we squeezed in one more band. #BrooklinePorchfest #VicesInc #livemusic

The band Vices Inc. Bass, guitar, drums, and vocalist. Performing in front of a blue house.

1 1

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 10d

Finishing the day with some soulful covers. #BrooklinePorchfest #FiletofSoul #livemusic

The band Filet of Soul playing on a porch in Brookline.

1 1

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 10d

Few things better than an afternoon bluegrass set under a shady tree. #BrooklinePorchfest #Lemonshiners #livemusic

Bluegrass band under a shady tree. Banjo, mandolin, guitar, bass, and fiddle. The Lemonshiners.

1 1

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 10d

Enjoying a beautiful day in Brookline, biking from concert to concert around town for #BrooklinePorchfest. #JulianSpector #livemusic

The jam rock band Julian Spector in the front yard. Keys, 2 guitars, bass, and drums.

1 7

Reposted by Jeff Wachter

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 14d

Great discussion of the importance of density for vibrant neighborhoods, demystifying the word, & thinking about what density actually looks like. Density doesn’t have to mean 100+ unit apt buildings, but can look like many of the 12-20 home buildings that define Brookline. @landpolicy.bsky.social

Coming to Terms with Density: An Urban Planning Concept in the Spotlight - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

A conversation all about density, on the occasion of the return of an online resource, Visualizing Density, at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy website. Density is in the spotlight as cities and t...

www.lincolninst.edu

3 2

Reposted by Jeff Wachter

Amy @amylibrarian.bsky.social · 15d

Highly recommend listening to this episode. Paraphrasing what stuck with me the most. I listened yesterday.
Dissents are important and are not about today.
We are writing for a future society.
We have a mandate to bear witness.

Ida Bae Wells @nhannahjones.bsky.social · 18d

My friend and colleague Wesley Morris and I had a very sobering conversation about America since the 1619 Project published and how it feels to be falling back under the veil that W.E.B. Du Bois so mournfully wrote about. I hope you’ll listen to this episode of Cannonball @nytimes.com

1 18 91

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 14d

Great discussion of the importance of density for vibrant neighborhoods, demystifying the word, & thinking about what density actually looks like. Density doesn’t have to mean 100+ unit apt buildings, but can look like many of the 12-20 home buildings that define Brookline. @landpolicy.bsky.social

Coming to Terms with Density: An Urban Planning Concept in the Spotlight - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

A conversation all about density, on the occasion of the return of an online resource, Visualizing Density, at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy website. Density is in the spotlight as cities and t...

www.lincolninst.edu

3 2

Reposted by Jeff Wachter

Sam Mintz @samjmintz.bsky.social · 20d

I just listened to a Brookline Town Meeting member, with a straight face, after testimony from multiple MBTA officials at a public hearing, challenge their conclusions because of something he read on Wikipedia regarding the size of green line cars.

1 2 6

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · 23d

A little bluegrass music at Brookline Day.

Stop by the @brooklineforeveryone.com table and say hi!

#brookline #brooklineday

Bluegrass band playing on the Brookline Day stage. Guitar, mandolin, cello, bass, and banjo.

1 2

Reposted by Jeff Wachter

Molly Knight @mollyknight.bsky.social · 29d

what a humiliating way for don jr. to find out his dad sends birthday cards.

980 9.5K 54K

Reposted by Jeff Wachter

Shirley Leung, PhD @shirleyswirley.bsky.social · Sep 8

I wrote a rant that addresses EVERY Seattle anti-housing "tree advocate" talking point I have ever seen.

It's long but honestly not THAT long lol. I will be very, VERY happy if 5 people read it.

Come be one of them :)

blog.moreparksmoreneighbors.org/page/anti-ho...

Anti-housing, self-proclaimed "tree advocates" are missing the forest for the trees - or worse

“I have to wait HOW long?!” One of the five neighborhood kids gathered around me threw their dirt-caked hands up in disbelief. They were gardening for the first time ever and simply refused to believe...

blog.moreparksmoreneighbors.org

8 41 170

Reposted by Jeff Wachter

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · Sep 4

A simple way to improve American downtowns: Make one-way arterials bidirectional.

Doing so will improve safety, boost retail sales, and attract pedestrians.

Me, in Bloomberg 🧵

One-Way Streets Are the Wrong Way to Tame Downtown Traffic

In the 1950s, US traffic planners thought unidirectional arterials were better for moving cars through urban areas. Now many cities are having second thoughts.

www.bloomberg.com

13 42 160

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · Sep 4

Exciting to see the office-to-apartment conversion vision start to come to fruition in Boston. Integrating more residential into downtown Boston is fantastic, and I hope more of these projects continue to happen. (Med Grill downstairs is a huge perk!)

Residents moving into Boston's first office-to-apartment conversion project

The six-story brick building at 281 Franklin St. was converted from a commercial property under the Boston Planning and Development Agency's program.

www.wcvb.com

1 5

Reposted by Jeff Wachter

Brookline for Everyone @brooklineforeveryone.com · Aug 27

In two weeks, Jeff Speck (author of "Walkable Cities") will be presenting on "A More Walkable Brookline". Join his talk to learn about how we can build a better Brookline is safer, greener, and less car dependent. Sign up here:

Community Invited to Attend ‘A More Walkable Brookline’ Presentation with Jeff Speck

An opportunity to participate in the Centre Street Lots Exploratory Study.

www.brooklinema.gov

3 6

Jeff Wachter @jeffwachter.bsky.social · Aug 30

This is an amazing before & after.

Once again, any "environmentalist" who doesn't advocate for moving as quickly as practical to install protected bike lanes, dedicated bus lanes, & more housing density near transit is failing. There are plenty like this where I live and they should be embarassed.

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · Aug 29

“Over the past 20 years, Paris has undergone a major physical transformation, trading automotive arteries for bike lanes, adding green spaces and eliminating 50,000 parking spaces.

Part of the payoff has been invisible — in the air itself.”

Leadership, strategy, real action, common sense. #Paris

Paris said au revoir to cars. Air pollution maps reveal a dramatic change.

Air pollution fell substantially as the city restricted car traffic and made way for parks and bike lanes.

www.washingtonpost.com

3 7