To the Editor:

I’m writing in support of the Trinity Financial development proposed for 150 Centre St.  I live .2 miles from the site. 

I’m writing this letter from the comfort of my home, same as I’m sure practically all if not every of my neighbors who oppose this project write from theirs.  I’d prefer to see as many future neighbors as possible at 150 Centre St. get the chance to benefit from home ownership as we all have - we’d all be better for it.

It’s indisputable. Boston needs more housing.  Project opponents’ objections seem to be for one of three reasons: size, aesthetics, and traffic. 
In the Reporter from 11/24/21, I see their recommended project size is roughly 30 units.  That was tried by developer Travis Lee with 26 units, but rent couldn’t cover the land and building costs.  More units are necessary to make a financially viable project.  Despite that, in negotiations, Trinity has come down from the 91 units originally proposed to 74.

Aesthetically, while it’s important to know and respect our history, it’s also important to not get locked in place with limited older housing stock driving up prices.  Look anywhere in the city for buildings of different ages built for different purposes sitting side by side and together making sense in today’s Boston.

Traffic is very concerning.  Centre Street is narrow and best avoided at certain times of day.  The intersection at Allston is particularly cramped.  The yellow center lines don’t even line up on Centre when you look down it.  Often, cooperative driving is necessary where drivers have to pull over to let others pass.  I think this project would be a terrific opportunity to improve traffic flow in the area.  I’m particularly interested in seeing Centre Street become a one-way emptying out onto Dot Ave as it already does for a block as Centre Ave.

Trinity is a local developer which has done good work in Ashmont developing both the Carruth and Treadmark buildings.  Their plans often strike me as not only about money but community driven.  In this case, they are going well over the affordable housing ratio of 13 percent required by the city and offering 45 units as affordable or 61 percent.  I feel Trinity recognizes 150 Centre isn’t on Dot Ave like its nearby recent developments, and it can thread the needle fitting the building they propose with care into the surrounding neighborhood.

When wrestling with the question of helping ourselves or helping others, too often we can forget helping others is helping ourselves.  Opponents’ opposition concerns pale in comparison when stacked up against the desire of potential neighbors to simply be homeowners.  The Reporter from 11/24/21 paraphrases one abutter opponent as saying, “... this project helps no one but the developer.”  Reading that, I have a hard time believing this opponent was thinking about anything other than himself because clearly potential home buyers stand to benefit tremendously from this project.
Most opponents are long-time residents, and there’s much to learn from them.  That said, they bought at a time when buying was simply put much more possible.  How many of them without the good fortune of being born as little as one decade before their potential neighbors would be on the opposite side of this debate?

– Mike Ritter