In their Jan. 23 op-ed, “For good health outcomes, we need good housing incomes,” Drs. Katherine Gergen Barnett and Megan Sandel illuminate the fact that good housing can make a world of difference in a person’s health, just as a lack of housing can be devastating.
Unfortunately, they are under the erroneous impression that the state is currently making significant improvements in affordable housing opportunities for those of low and very low income.
In fact, the governor’s Housing Choice legislation appears to be more focused on market-rate housing and spurring its construction. Its contribution to affordable housing is tokenism at best.
It is simply a huge gift to developers and real estate interests, who have been major donors for Governor Baker’s political fund-raising. Some communities could see a loss of naturally affordable housing and a tsunami of displacement, evictions, and homelessness.
Patricia Barron Worden
Arlington
The writer is former chairperson of the Arlington Housing Authority.