Brookline brouhaha

The Boylston Street project (“Development plans rile some in Brookline,’’ Feb. 21) is in a neighborhood that is anything but liberal, an old working-class neighborhood with two and three deckers. The 45 units are to be built on a former Mobil gas station site, and it’s massive, using car lifts instead of parking spaces. It might fit on the site of the CVS across the street, but not on this small parcel.

screenname713

The traffic along Route 9 is bad enough already.

locrian

Stop giving neighborhoods the right to deny development. The need for housing is great. The more apartments that are built will ultimately help in lowering rents. Granted, that is a long time off, but if the screechers squeal about the same thing — traffic, more people, loss of sunlight, wind tunnels, etc., nothing will ever get done. Concerns of the locals are important, but once a developer has made adjustments, building must take place. Hate to break it to the NIMBYers but you will all eventually either move or make the move to the next life. So take a deep breath and enjoy life.

SeamusMatthew

Far from being an example of NIMBY, North Brookline residents have successfully integrated market-rate housing with federal/state/local housing projects and subsidies. What the neighborhoods are demanding is that scale, massing, character, and careful planning be incorporated into the process of creating affordable housing. It is this attention to detail that helps make Brookline such a desirable, sought-after community in which to live.

Approximately 13 percent of Brookline residents live at or below the poverty line, and almost a third of all Brookline residents are defined by the town as economically insecure. In addition, the Brookline Public High School student population comes from 76 different nations, and 31 percent of the students do not speak English in their homes, yet 94 percent of all HS students graduate.

Yes, Brookline has its problems, but the town takes great pride in educating its children and is committed to achieving affordable housing goals determined by the state.

mayerjack4

Send comments to Bailey Putnam at bailey.putnam@globe.com.