"It& #39;s not as simple as density is good or bad" says our ED Stacy Thompson introducing our final #VirtualStreetTalk -- happening now!

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How do we start building context for housing during an economic slowdown, instead of a period of growth?

Seems likely that the demand for new housing construction will decrease in the next few years, says @amydain
Some considerations: Will young adults who& #39;ve lost their jobs move back in with their parents? Will college and grad students be coming back later this year? Will Air BNBs be converted back to housing?
@amydain predicts we& #39;ll see an increase in ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units, like "in-law apartments" or "granny flats").

Housing advocates have spent decades advocating for ADUs to be in allowed in zoning codes, and very few get permitted
@wendelltjoseph proposes that urban shrinkage and economic downtown is an opportunity to think about development
If we lose our "social infrastructure" -- restaurants, churches, hair salons -- we lose what makes a city great
Black-owned restaurants and businesses in Boston are facing an emergency right now. These are community institutions, and to lose them would be a tragedy. Development helps us think about how to preserve these cultural assets. -- @wendelltjoseph
"Our Main Streets depend on density, but our density depends on Main Streets..." says Stacy Thompson #VirtualStreetTalk
Our main strategy for building affordable housing in this region has been to get developers to build some portion of their units as affordable (10-20%).
Many of these "affordable" units are priced to be affordable to households making 80% of Area Median Income -- they can go for rents as high as $1600 or $1800/month. Hardly affordable to those making minimum wage, says @amydain
The question of if you& #39;re going to move to the suburbs is a very privileged question.
We as planners need to be thinking beyond density -- let& #39;s think about healthcare, labor laws, etc. Density is not the scapegoat -- there are a whole lot of other things that need to be on the table as well. Good words to end on from @wendelltjoseph #VirtualStreetTalk
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