Highlights of Newton for Everyone 2025
As the new year begins, we want to thank you for your interest and support for making more housing opportunities available for people of all ages, means, backgrounds and abilities in Newton.
This past year we have hosted educational forums, blogged about key housing issues in Newton and encouraged people to take action to support more diverse forms of housing that could be affordable to more people in Newton.
Join us as we continue to expand our efforts in 2026!
Educational Events
What would it take to build 100% affordable housing in Newton?
Newton native Jason Korb, a developer who focuses on exceptional affordable housing projects, stressed the delicate interplay of municipal support, community engagement, and financial feasibility when navigating the complexities of affordable housing development.
Accessory Dwellings: New Opportunities for Homeowners and for Newton
Will Cohen, of the Boston Planning Department, talked with us about how both homeowners and communities can benefit from ADU construction and gave us some concrete models for how we can proceed.
Housing Policy is Climate Policy
For Earth Day 2025, Newton for Everyone hosted an event with long-time Newton resident, Dan Ruben, a leading voice in sustainable practices who has served on Green Newton's Board since 1996.
Climate change isn't a distant threat; its impacts are being felt right here in Newton. Both how and where we build our homes can play a significant role in tackling this crisis.
Priced out: The growing challenge of teacher retention and housing costs
How can Newton attract and retain great teachers if they can’t afford to live here? That was the central question at “Priced Out,” a discussion of how the city’s housing shortage directly impacts its schools.
The event featured Heather Peske, President of the National Council on Teacher Quality, and Ari Kenyon Vance, a Newton South High School guidance counselor, soccer, and track coach.
Newton for Everyone’s Most Popular Blogs
Why is building more homes essential to a thriving local economy?
There’s been a lot of talk about the need for commercial development in Newton as a way to raise tax revenue. But what is needed to lure more commercial development to Newton?
Good Affordable Housing, Bad Affordable Housing
Will Newton be a place our kids can afford to live—or a museum of homes only the wealthy can buy? We face two paths to lower housing costs, and the one we choose will define our city for generations. When you’re done with the article, send a letter to city council reminding them we need good affordable housing.
A mandate for action: 71% of voters back more housing—here’s what it means for Newton
Attend any Newton housing hearing and it’s easy to think opposition dominates—yet new statewide polling shows that impression is wrong. The findings confirm what many of us have felt all along: the pro-housing perspective is the mainstream perspective.
Updated Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance Passed by the City Council
Newton went above and beyond the state law for expanding ADU options by allowing larger ADUs that will make them more family friendly and allow the space needed to ensure accessibility. Thank you to the 89 Newton for Everyone supporters who sent in letters of support for the additional amendments to the ADU ordinance
The City Council voted 18 to 6 to approve the additional amendments. Councilors Baker, Farrell, Gentile, Lucas, Oliver and Malakie opposed.
What's up with Northland? Why is the project going back to the City Council?
After years of study, community engagement and debate before the City Council, the plans for Northland were approved in 2019. Voters then decisively upheld the decision in early March 2020. However, then came the pandemic.
While Northland was able to complete a lot of the underground infrastructure, by 2025 they had to rethink how to proceed in a very different economic reality. Their solution involves building fewer buildings and converting the historic mill building to homes instead of offices. The total number of homes and affordable homes remains approximately the same. The special permit amendment was approved by the City Council by a 19-4 vote. Councilors Block, Lobovits, Malakie, and Wright opposed.
Your Vote, Our Future: Asking the Right Questions on Housing
While we did not endorse individual candidates, we developed a set of questions so that people could ask specific, substantive questions of the candidates.
Making Connections with Newton Neighbors
Summer Social July
We held a large backyard gathering for people to get to know each other and talk with others interested in helping make Newton more affordable for young families, seniors downsizing and our kids who want to live in the town they grew up in.
Meet-up at Baramor in Newton Center in December.
People had a chance to grab a drink, have some food and talk about housing, abundance, the recent election, and whatever else was on their mind. Keep an eye out for more meet-ups during 2026.