5 Takeaways from Watertown’s Recent Ambitious Win of going above & beyond MBTA-CA compliance

From rookie of the year to organizing champions, Housing For All Watertown (HAW) is celebrating a tremendous victory and here at Abundant Housing MA, we couldn’t be more proud. For the last year, I’ve worked to support HAW as a part of our MBTA Communities Education & Organizing program and have been HAWe-inspired by the commitment and organizing ethos core to their work. I didn’t want to miss this opportunity to share takeaways and adaptable reflections with our broader movement. 

A few weeks ago, the Watertown City Council and Planning Board approved the Watertown Square Area Plan- an exciting plan to comply with the MBTA-Communities Multi-family zoning mandate with a by-right unit capacity of 3,133 (~84% over the minimum required by the state). 😲😍

Relative to what’s required by the state, it’s the most ambitious plan we’ve seen put forward, it’s in stark contrast to several suburban communities across the state that have shunned their responsibility to comply with the law (at least for now). 

According to Watertown News, the plan was approved after a nine-month, in-depth community engagement process, led by Jeff Speck and Utile, alongside a reconfiguration of the Watertown Square roadways known as “Four Corners”. The next steps are to come up with detailed zoning and designs, which must be completed and submitted to the state by the end of 2024.

This win would not have been possible if it were not for the strong organizing and advocacy from Housing For All Watertown. 

Founded in 2023, Housing for All Watertown’s mission is to build a broad coalition of residents who will advance local policies and projects that expand housing options for all. They seek solutions to current housing challenges to improve the quality of life for all current and future community members.

Here are 5 key takeaways from HAW’s organizing work that can serve to inspire new and older pro-housing groups alike for their local housing advocacy campaigns:

1. Painting a positive vision pays off: Rather than responding directly to fear-based and negative NIMBY arguments, HAW focused  on painting a positive vision for the benefits housing can bring to Watertown both in their dialogue and messaging- from a “Letters to the editor” campaign to informative members meetings. Steering Committee Leader, Josh Rosmarin remarks…“”We’ve focused on being relentlessly positive, and encouraging our members to speak from personal experience about the future that we want to build together, rather than getting drawn into fights over process or engaging in debates with people who question our motivations in dubious faith”.
2. Community Building must be at the center: Core to HAW’s organizing ethos and community engagement model was the practice of community building. From creating an accessible online community for members to engage in to hosting socials before major city meetings to hosting holiday and summer get-togethers – HAW leadership recognized the need for informal spaces where connecting (outside of advocacy) mattered most and relationships could be sustained.
3. Meet people where they are: At every step, HAW equipped its members with support, from sample talking points to zoom webinars to ensure their neighbors’ information needs were met–so that, in turn, they could effectively and authentically engage in their advocacy. HAW leadership also engaged in other tactics, such as flyering, to ensure their pro-housing vision for Watertown Square was shared as widely as possible.
4. Inclusion matters in order to challenge the status quo: HAW focused its organizing efforts on challenging the status quo of NIMBY neighborhood defenders– effectively turning out younger neighbors who, historically, are underrepresented in local housing dialogue. HAW also designed their gatherings with equity in mind, such as providing childcare at meetings, making it more accessible for parents to meaningfully participate.
5. Start early & build partnerships: HAW was formally launched in September 2023 and has since then grown into a membership of nearly 300. Starting over a year before the MBTA-CA compliance deadline made a big difference! Building off of existing leadership connections and deep ties to the city, HAW used its time effectively to build out its infrastructure…to include a leadership steering committee, various working groups focused on zoning/land use, affordable subsidized housing and community engagement. These working groups did their research and maintained open conversation with municipal staff and elected officials.  They also coalesced with partners such as the regional Chamber of Commerce, and through an affiliate membership with AHMA, joined a broader statewide network to build solidarity and sustain energy for the broader movement. 

I am so incredibly proud of Housing For All Watertown and am honored to have played a role in their development. This recent win makes building a more livable and vibrant downtown, where the possibility of abundant and more affordable housing is closer to reality. Their work has provided a model for other pro-housing advocates (who might feel alone today) but could be compelled to build a grassroots community or group of their own one day. May HAW’s work inspire us all as we move our collective movement forward!” – Kassie Infante