Please advise on 40B and what its repeal would mean to Belmont. Thanks.
7 replies on “40B Vote?”
As a citizen, I will vote to repeal it, because I believe that it needs to change and supporters of the law have been too resistant to change. However, if it is repealed, I will, as a legislator, vote to support a strong replacement for it that continues to further the goal of developing affordable housing.
There are multiple problems with 40B, but I am most troubled by its planning inadequacies. First, it places on communities the burden of protecting open space. If a community lacks the physical potential or the political wherewithal to develop good open space and affordable housing plans, the law forces housing onto valuable open space, destroying an asset with value well beyond the community’s borders. Second, 40B does not allow any sensible regional allocation of housing development. It forces the opposite of smart growth — it flings housing into open space in remote communities with long commutes.
Thanks for the clarification. I’ve heard lots of pros and cons on this bill, but hadn’t heard the perspective about forcing the opposite of smart growth. That makes a lot of sense to me.
Next question, you’ve stated that you will “vote to support a strong replacement”. Do you know of any legislators that are planning on introducing such a replacement? If not, would you consider introducing such a bill?
I’m still struggling with this bill, because I am a strong advocate of affordable housing, but I also care about smart growth. I would feel better about voting to repeal it if I thought there was a definite plan to move forward with a replacement.
I guess it’s moot! I think that had the people voted for repeal, the strength of the forces that have preserved 40B would have been sufficient to put something strong and new in place.
Basically 3631 allows communities to compact amongst themselves to allocate affordable housing regionally.
Was 40B enacted through something other than a standard legislative mechanism? In other words, is there something, other than the political will, standing in the way of having the legislature enact reform of the current law?
It’s all about political power and political will.
As a citizen, I will vote to repeal it, because I believe that it needs to change and supporters of the law have been too resistant to change. However, if it is repealed, I will, as a legislator, vote to support a strong replacement for it that continues to further the goal of developing affordable housing.
There are multiple problems with 40B, but I am most troubled by its planning inadequacies. First, it places on communities the burden of protecting open space. If a community lacks the physical potential or the political wherewithal to develop good open space and affordable housing plans, the law forces housing onto valuable open space, destroying an asset with value well beyond the community’s borders. Second, 40B does not allow any sensible regional allocation of housing development. It forces the opposite of smart growth — it flings housing into open space in remote communities with long commutes.
Thanks for the clarification. I’ve heard lots of pros and cons on this bill, but hadn’t heard the perspective about forcing the opposite of smart growth. That makes a lot of sense to me.
Next question, you’ve stated that you will “vote to support a strong replacement”. Do you know of any legislators that are planning on introducing such a replacement? If not, would you consider introducing such a bill?
I’m still struggling with this bill, because I am a strong advocate of affordable housing, but I also care about smart growth. I would feel better about voting to repeal it if I thought there was a definite plan to move forward with a replacement.
I guess it’s moot! I think that had the people voted for repeal, the strength of the forces that have preserved 40B would have been sufficient to put something strong and new in place.
What are the high points of http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/BillText/3631, which is waiting to replace, I assume, 40B if it s repealed? Thanks.
Basically 3631 allows communities to compact amongst themselves to allocate affordable housing regionally.
Was 40B enacted through something other than a standard legislative mechanism? In other words, is there something, other than the political will, standing in the way of having the legislature enact reform of the current law?
It’s all about political power and political will.