Newton, MA Councilor Crossley Faces Ouster After Leading Controversial Zoning Rewrite

In the midst of a heated reelection campaign, Deborah Crossley found herself at the center of a storm. As a longtime Newton city councilor, she had dedicated years to a plan aimed at opening the city's village centers to new housing development. However, her efforts faced fierce opposition at a community meeting in the Nonantum neighborhood. Residents voiced their anger, fearing that the proposed developments would irrevocably alter their cherished neighborhood.

Housing Development Sparks Controversy

The situation further escalated when a mysterious online account, Newton Needs Change, began posting videos from the meeting. One video, titled "Deb Crossley ignores residents pleas," showed Crossley seemingly distracted and typing on her phone while someone spoke. Crossley explained that she had simply been taking notes, but the damage was done. This incident marked the beginning of a deep divide among residents, with more contentious meetings, and signs springing up in front yards depicting towering eight-story apartment buildings. Eventually, the November city elections saw Crossley and two other pro-zoning plan councilors ousted.

Despite the backlash, Crossley remains steadfast in her belief that the city must embrace increased housing development and support its village centers. She laments being labeled the villain in this controversy, expressing sadness that her vision for a more sustainable and vibrant community has been met with such animosity. Eventually, a diluted version of the original zoning plan was passed by the City Council after a bitter political battle, aiming to comply with a state housing law requiring more housing availability. This new plan could potentially unlock space for over 8,700 new housing units in Newton.

However, the impact of Crossley's journey extends beyond the boundaries of Newton. It serves as a harbinger of the arduous path that awaits over 150 communities in Eastern Massachusetts, all facing the need to create land-use regulations facilitating housing construction. For local officials, these regulations could be a double-edged sword, as they must navigate a landscape rife with political pressure and the risk of jeopardizing their careers. Clark Ziegler, the executive director of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, acknowledges the challenges councilors face, as zoning issues tend to ignite passionate reactions from neighborhoods. Crossley herself, a veteran of Newton politics, entered the City Council with a mission to upgrade the city's infrastructure. It was her keen awareness of the skyrocketing housing costs and a dearth of affordable rentals that propelled her to advocate for change, even at the expense of her reputation.

Amidst the contentious debates and neighborhood divisions, it is crucial to remember that the mission is ultimately about creating a better city. City Councilor Susan Albright, who appointed Crossley to the zoning committee, emphasizes that the essence of their roles is to improve the lives of their constituents. Crossley, while not an expert in housing development, recognized the urgent need for action and sought to address the issue head-on. Her determination to make Newton a place where future generations can afford to call home speaks to the larger predicament faced by many communities across the region. The road ahead may be challenging, but the fight for affordable housing and vibrant communities must go on.

A New Direction for Newton's Housing Crisis

Newton, a city known for its high home prices, faced a growing dilemma. Despite identifying village centers as ideal locations for new housing in 2007, the city failed to see substantial growth in this area over the years. The typical house in Newton was selling for a staggering $1.7 million by 2023, three times the statewide median. While Newton may be a liberal city, the issue of housing transcends political affiliations. The conflict surrounding development and housing had reached its boiling point, making broader zoning reform a seemingly impossible task.

However, everything changed in 2021 when the MBTA communities law was enacted. This controversial law mandated that communities near public transit should create zoning that allows for multifamily housing. Suddenly, Newton had a deadline to address its housing crisis. Enter Crossley, the chair of the council's zoning and planning committee. With a pragmatic mindset, she had already been working on a plan to introduce midsize multifamily housing in the village centers through rezoning.

By October 2022, after countless hours of work, Crossley's committee had developed a framework for three new zoning districts in the village centers. These districts would permit the construction of two-and-a-half to four-and-a-half story buildings, significantly surpassing the state's zoning requirements. Initially, the response seemed positive, as people appeared open to the proposed changes. However, a year later, discontent turned into outrage, and opposition to the plan erupted.

The meeting in Nonantum became a battleground, with influential figures, like Fran Yerardi, mobilizing their networks against the proposed development. Yerardi, a former restaurant owner and political figure, saw this as a larger issue, one where elected representatives were turning a deaf ear to the concerns of the residents. A coalition formed, comprising both existing and newly formed resident groups opposing development projects. Their strategy involved capitalizing on the growing frustration surrounding development and supporting candidates who advocated for a more "modest" approach within the state's minimum requirements.

Their efforts included campaigns, mailers, picketing, and even the creation of a political action committee that shared a name with the pro-housing coalition. The lies and accusations flew back and forth, with claims that new development drives up housing prices and that pro-rezoning councilors were bullying residents. Within this tempest of opposition, the original Newton for Everyone pro-housing group found themselves incensed.

The battle for the future of Newton's housing crisis had intensified, challenging the community and their elected representatives to find a balanced solution that served the needs of all.

Newton's Recent Election Reflects Growing Discontent Towards Development

Not all victories are celebrated equally. In the case of Newton's recent election, it seems that the winners' satisfaction is overshadowed by the bitter taste of defeat felt by those who supported the status quo. The clash between pro-growth and slow-growth factions has defined the political landscape in this community, and the latest voting results have only intensified the divide.

For years, the slow-growth coalition, led by figures like Randy Block, has vehemently opposed what they perceive as an influx of development in Newton. They argue that their victory in the November election is a resounding message from the residents: "No more towering buildings, no more thousands of apartments." Block's RightSize Newton group has become a prominent anti-development force in the city, capitalizing on public frustration and mobilizing support.

However, not everyone agrees with this sentiment. Alicia Bowman, a councilor who supported the rezoning efforts, was ousted from her position amidst the growing anger towards development. She believes that the residents' aversion to change led them to reject the rezoning plans, fueling a general sense of resentment. Bowman feels that the opposition successfully perpetuated a false image of the city being overrun by towering structures.

Ultimately, the November election has shifted the balance of power in Newton's city council, with four slow-growth candidates backed by Yerardi's coalition emerging victorious. This unexpected outcome has left the pro-growth incumbents reeling, facing the harsh reality that their arguments and facts were not enough to secure their positions. The irony lies in the fact that winning through shenanigans, as Zollers of Engine 6 puts it, seems less satisfying than genuine triumph through genuine means.

Finding Middle Ground in Newton

In the wake of the recent election, the impact was immediate and decisive. With the old council still in power until the end of the year, they had to make a crucial decision regarding the zoning plan. Meanwhile, opponents wasted no time in interpreting the election results as an expression of voter sentiment and threatened a potential referendum if significant changes were not made.

Aiming to avoid the deep division that had plagued the contentious Northland project, the pro-housing and slow-growth council members engaged in intense negotiations. Ultimately, they reached a compromise: only six village centers would be rezoned instead of the original plan to rezone all 12. Additionally, building heights were scaled back to 3.5 stories in numerous locations. This compromise meant sacrificing thousands of potential housing units from the original proposal.

Alison Leary, one of the councilors involved in designing the initial rezoning effort, expressed her frustration, stating, "They held us hostage by stirring up unnecessary fear. The threat of a referendum made us wary of losing all the progress we had made."

As for Crossley, after serving on the council for 14 years, the end of December marked her final day. Uncertain about her future plans, she remains committed to staying involved in local politics as long as she resides in Newton. However, she is also embracing the opportunity to spend more time with her grandson and contemplating whether it's time to slow down after the intense sprint of the zoning reform effort.