Support for Riverside Development Plan Change
Housing
Recording of Zoning Reform in Newton, with Jay Walter
On November 19th, Jay Walter, a Newton resident and experienced local architect, helped us to learn about the the changes the City Council is proposing to Newton’s current Zoning Ordinance, how those changes differ from current zoning, and what effect those changes will have on our community.
Recording of Richard Rothstein: The Color of Law
On November 17 LWVN joined together with the Newton Free Library and Families Organizing for Racial Justice to present a virtual session with Richard Rothstein, author of The Color of Law, A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. Mr. Rothstein argued with exacting precision and fascinating insight how segregation in America is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state and federal levels, and offered several concrete suggestions for how to address the housing and economic inequities caused by these policies.
During this virtual session, attendees also heard a conversation between library director, Ellen Meyers, and community activist, Richard Evans, who told his family’s story of encountering discrimination in the 1960’s during the state’s eminent domain taking of land for the construction of the Mass Pike bypass through Newton.
To wrap up the session, Newton City Councilor Deb Crossley introduced attendees to the efforts being made by the City Council to address housing inequities in Newton by engaging in a comprehensive review of Newton’s zoning codes.
If you were unable to listen in to this informative and engaging session, you can view the recording.
The Color of Law: Presentation by Author Richard Rothstein
November 17, 2020 (Tuesday, 6:30-8:00pm). The Color of Law, A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
LWVN joined with the Newton Free Library and Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ) for a presentation by author Richard Rothstein who argued with exacting precision and fascinating insight how segregation in America is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state and federal levels, and offered several concrete suggestions for how to address the housing and economic inequities caused by these policies.