To the editor:

I recently read a news story in The Item concerning a new lawsuit aimed at the City of Cambridge’s inclusionary zoning ordinance with developers arguing that this ordinance is unlawful for developers wanting to do business in the City of Cambridge because it surrenders their constitutional land use rights. I had not read this news story anywhere else but in The Item out of Lynn, MA.

As someone who rarely supports anything coming out of the People’s Republic of Cambridge, I support Cambridge elected officials trying to increase affordability in Cambridge neighborhoods. I see nothing unconstitutional about Cambridge City Hall requiring developers of new housing to set aside 20% of the units as affordable housing. Cambridge has been pushing for more workforce affordable housing going back nearly 30 years. In 2017, the 20 percent figure was added to that 1998 ordinance. Today, more and more Greater Boston municipalities have adopted Cambridge-like inclusionary zoning too.

I have been an advocate of affordable housing going back to my days as a Charlestown community advocate in the fight for more affordable housing, going back to the early 1980s, and as a member at that time of the Charlestown Economic Development Corporation board of directors which helped create affordable townhouse condos for Charlestown residents built along Main Street. At that time, those new homes went for an affordable $125,000  apiece. This kept many Townies from having to leave their lifelong community. It was a win for those families who purchased their new homes and a win for the community. To this day, whenever passing by this row of townhouses, I am proud of the role I, along with other members of the Charlestown E.D.C.

Since 1982, however, things have only gotten worse as more and more individuals and families have been priced out of housing that isn’t affordable to them. Something has to improve. Where are working families and blue-collar workers to live? 

There are some real estate folks who think they are being unfairly targeted for bearing the cost of solving the lack of affordable housing stock. They seem to be blaming cities and towns for not allowing new housing to be built and thus not keeping up with population growth. High-end and high-priced housing only ups housing costs for everyone else. Inclusionary zoning seems to be the answer until we come up with something better. Doing nothing will only exacerbate the housing shortage. Cambridge has gotten it right and I support inclusionary zoning until a better idea comes along.

Sal Giarratani

East Boston