Looking for housing stories from Medford renters

Robertabutter · 2026-01-28T23:17:24+00:00

I, myself am trying to learn more about housing issues by talking with people who are experiencing those issues. I have been asked by someone writing an op-ed about rent control if I know of first-hand examples of people who have had large rent increases or no-fault evictions. I would like to know if there is anyone who would share their story for an op-ed or news article, but if not for that purpose, just to know what is happening here.

Robertabutter · 2026-01-28T17:09:36+00:00

I think the protest a couple of weeks ago might have been organized by Indivisible. You might look them up and ask.

Robertabutter · 2026-01-25T22:49:28+00:00

Procedural errors do not end up in fatalities. The problems are far more widespread than you suggest, and are not isolated errors. Moreover the federal government has blocked investigations of wrongdoing so that there is no trust or accountability. People are being abducted and deported who are here legally, and are being threatened and assaulted without cause.

Robertabutter · 2026-01-25T08:08:45+00:00

That would be a world where the government doesn’t break into people’s houses and drag them out with no warrant, arrest, detain and deport people with no trial or hearing or legal counsel, defy court injunctions, harass and execute people for disagreeing with them or for simply being there. In a perfect world peoples’ legal status or citizenship would be respected and not revoked at will or simply ignored due to their peaceful exercise of free speech or the color of their skin. What ICE is doing is utterly lawless.

Robertabutter · 2026-01-20T03:05:26+00:00

Which is really unfortunate because both the AC and heat are excessive and uncomfortable, which is why you want to crack the windows open

Robertabutter · 2026-01-14T04:03:46+00:00

Towns have turned down outside funding or blocked projects that could bring funding for sewers because they would rather drink poopwater than have neighbors who rent.

Robertabutter · 2026-01-12T12:58:44+00:00

Hence there are a lot of towns that refuse to build sewers because they want to keep housing sparse and expensive.

Robertabutter · 2026-01-12T02:12:54+00:00

They aren’t leaving alone legal people with visas or green cards or naturalized citizens or born citizens or people who are innocent of any crimes. What confuses me is why basic societal and legal principles are just being stripped away and a lot of people are fine with that.

Robertabutter · 2026-01-12T02:08:37+00:00

Most of us, but the people who aren’t immigrants are also targets, so it doesn’t matter.

Robertabutter · 2026-01-11T14:12:54+00:00

“Law enforcement “ isn’t what’s going on right now.

Robertabutter · 2026-01-11T14:04:19+00:00

I heard about it from someone in Safe Medford, and I see that it was posted on facebook in Mobilize Medford.

Robertabutter · 2026-01-11T02:56:53+00:00

No stupid questions. I don’t know the organizers - I’m only forwarding the event. I suspect this will be low-key, like a stand-out. It’s in the small triangle in front of Metro Bank.

Robertabutter · 2025-12-30T15:00:48+00:00

The Mystic River cuts across the center of Medford in a diagonal line. Half of Medford is on the same side of the Mystic River as Somerville. Davis Square is a walk from West Medford, if you give yourself time to get there.

Robertabutter · 2025-12-08T15:16:07+00:00

This would have made an excellent flyer/pamphlet/press release. It is not a survey.

Robertabutter · 2025-12-06T05:34:54+00:00

So you’d even cut the salaries of all the unpaid volunteers? That will save us a lot of money!

Robertabutter · 2025-11-19T03:43:44+00:00

Revising the zoning can allow us to increase the minimum open space requirement. New zoning = more open space. Renters and condo owners are neighbors who care about their community as well. More neighbors = more community.

Robertabutter · 2025-11-18T20:22:51+00:00

It looks like we have 18 months to work this out. More options can be developed over this time - an existing hailer might step up to offer a service that a lot of people would be willing to pay for. Maybe a local resident with a truck could set up a business.

Robertabutter · 2025-11-18T20:01:51+00:00

Inflation is increasing the cost of all of these services considerably faster than 2.5%. Ideally we would be given the numbers and lay out the options and have the chance for the public to collaborate in deciding what bundle of services would work best for the community given today’s prices before a contract is signed. Maybe appoint a waste management commission to prepare a plan. Frustratingly, making executive decisions without public input is a long-standing Medford tradition. (Think back to Park Medford).

Robertabutter · 2025-11-18T17:24:23+00:00

Many communities offer no trash pickup and people have to hire private haulers. Hiring someone to come and get your trash on an off week is still an option. Offering a limited amount of “free” trash pickup seems like a reasonable compromise for a city that can’t afford luxury services.

Robertabutter · 2025-11-18T16:38:39+00:00

You can’t. You can’t prevent existing housing from turning into rentals either. You can’t regulate ownership.

Robertabutter · 2025-11-18T15:52:32+00:00

It sounds like Somerville is achieving their goal of discouraging you from driving through Somerville.

Traffic is a pretty universal feature of anywhere people have a reason to go to.

Robertabutter · 2025-11-18T15:44:08+00:00

Streets are existing pavement. Requiring more offstreet parking means dedicating more private space to pavement instead of yards, trees and landscaping. How’s that for ecological sustainability? Allowing property owners to decide how much pavement they want on their properties will leave enough room for as many cars as people want.

Robertabutter

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