Boston Globe article: "Trying to quantify the NIMBY factor"

[mem_winterhill]

I don't have a Globe subscription, so I used my Somerville Library card access to the ProQuest database to read the story for free. I can't check on the story link, but if you have a subscription you can go here:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2018/08/30/researchers-examine-nimby-factor/uVws4Lrm6Sa2qa6UdyHIiO/story.html

Anyway, this article talks about the objections faced to development, that are kind of interesting. There was a study done that showed a lack of diversity of voices, and some common demographics, that we need to probably consider as we are talking about local development issues. We need to be sure the issues are tangible for people across a broad spectrum.

They, broadly speaking, are the people who show up to comment at planning and zoning meetings across Eastern Massachusetts, according to a new paper by three Boston University professors. The researchers combed three years worth of meeting minutes from 97 cities and towns in the region, and found nearly two-thirds of residents who stood up to speak about proposed housing developments did so to oppose them, while just 14 percent spoke in support.

[snip]

There are lots of reasons for the narrow range of meeting commenters, Einstein said, from the busy schedules of younger families and people with inflexible work hours, to the less-rooted life of renters. There's also the fact someone living next door to a proposed construction site is keenly aware of how it might affect them, whereas the notion of a few more housing units is more abstract to a community's general population.

Here's is the journalist's tweet to the story, in case that works better: https://twitter.com/bytimlogan/status/1035537429678239744