Question 2 Was Rejected. Now What?
With the widest margin of any ballot question, Massachusetts voters rejected a proposal that would have made the development of affordable housing nearly impossible in most communities. Question 2 sought to repeal the affordable housing law, halting 40 years of hard work to make this state more affordable for seniors and working families. But the unintended benefit of Question 2 is that it energized the affordable housing community and elevated the discussion about the expense of living in the commonwealth, both of which I hope will have lasting positive impacts.
Grassroots Effort
From the beginning, the intent of the Vote No on Question 2 campaign was to educate voters about the affordable housing law and why it is so crucial to the commonwealth. This law has been responsible for 80 percent of the new affordable housing outside the major cities in the last decade. In addition to helping teachers, firefighters, nurses and veterans find affordable homes, the affordable housing law has brought $9 billion in economic activity in the last 10 years. We put forth well-researched facts and arguments to demonstrate how the affordable housing law benefits every resident.
To help us spread our message, an unprecedented grassroots coalition of 1,600 individuals and organizations came together. In addition to local housing advocates, our coalition included civic, religious, business, labor, environmental, municipal, senior citizen and civil rights leaders.
These individuals and organizations reached out to their friends, colleagues, and neighbors to explain why housing is so expensive in Massachusetts and how the affordable housing law helps alleviate that. We were also able to point to many successful examples of mixed-income developments that have had a positive impact on the communities in which they are located.
The voters defeated Question 2, but it is not enough. Massa-chusetts is still one of the most expensive states to live in, and there is more we can do.
We should work in partnership with cities and towns to create more affordable housing; to enact zoning reforms that will create smart growth development; to revitalize and preserve our existing stock of affordable housing; to address the foreclosure crisis; and to help prevent homelessness.
It is important to the social and economic health of our state that we foster every opportunity to create affordable housing, and we must do it together.
Aaron Gornstein is the executive director of Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association, a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization.
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