Carlos Tamayo was having a tough first half of 2024. His long-term relationship had ended, and his mother had surgery for a brain tumor. There were little things too, such as losing a parking space and the tickets that followed. So Tamayo, who is 26, was shocked and excited in May when he won an… Continue reading Despite long odds, a housing advocate finds an affordable apartment
Category: Economics
Brookline businesses bounce back: Storefront vacancy rate hits seven-year low
The proportion of vacant storefronts in Brookline has dropped to its lowest point in years, a new Town Hall report says, signaling that Brookline’s commercial districts are continuing their post-pandemic recovery. The storefront vacancy rate dropped to 9% in 2024, down from 9.7% in 2023, according to the latest draft Commercial Vibrancy report published by… Continue reading Brookline businesses bounce back: Storefront vacancy rate hits seven-year low
Brookline residential real estate sales from Dec. 2 to Dec. 13
Brookline.News is publishing information about the latest residential real estate sales in Brookline, with data provided by Banker & Tradesman, a Massachusetts real estate industry publication. We’ve added some new information to this feature, about the usage, style, age, and size of the properties which were sold. Look out for a new set of sales… Continue reading Brookline residential real estate sales from Dec. 2 to Dec. 13
Brookline residential real estate sales from Nov. 15 to Nov. 29
Today, we’re introducing a new recurring feature at Brookline.News, in which we’ll publish data about recent real estate sales. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell yourself, or keeping an eye on the market for advocacy or policymaking purposes, we hope you’ll find this information useful. We plan to publish a new tally every two… Continue reading Brookline residential real estate sales from Nov. 15 to Nov. 29
Audit of Brookline post office finds thousands of delayed pieces of mail, two dozen missing master keys
An audit of the Brookline branch of the United States Postal Service found significant problems with its performance, including thousands of delayed pieces of mail, packages scanned as delivered while still at the office, and dozens of missing mail keys which can be used for thefts. The audit of the Coolidge Corner post office, issued… Continue reading Audit of Brookline post office finds thousands of delayed pieces of mail, two dozen missing master keys
Property tax hike hits apartment buildings hardest, may impact renters
Property taxes on apartment buildings in Brookline are set to increase more than taxes on other forms of housing following the town’s latest assessments, potentially leading to higher rents for local tenants. The average assessed value of an apartment building (four units or larger) in Brookline grew 10% between fiscal years 2024 and 2025, outpacing… Continue reading Property tax hike hits apartment buildings hardest, may impact renters
News in brief: Developer scales back proposal for Route 9 office park project
The developer planning a major project in an office park on Route 9 in Chestnut Hill has put forward a scaled back proposal after hearing feedback from neighbors. The new plans would reduce the density and height of the three-building development at 1280-1330 Boylston Street, according to Cliff Kensington of City Realty, who presented the… Continue reading News in brief: Developer scales back proposal for Route 9 office park project
Restaurant workers in Brookline wrestle with tipped wages ballot question
Bartaco server Jacob Brewer is feeling overwhelmed by a statewide ballot initiative that may bring in a major change to how he and his fellow restaurant workers get paid. “I’m going back and forth about it because there’s a conflict of interest,” said Brewer. “I really like this company but I would also love more… Continue reading Restaurant workers in Brookline wrestle with tipped wages ballot question
Brookline Interactive Group, a hub for community and creativity, faces an uncertain future
After his father died in 2023, Jonathan Mande borrowed some equipment from Brookline Interactive Group, the town’s nonprofit community media hub, to film and photograph the funeral. That experience provided a creative outlet that changed Mande’s life. “It became a source of healing for me. I would go on long photo walks,” said Mande, who… Continue reading Brookline Interactive Group, a hub for community and creativity, faces an uncertain future
Connelly Hardware closes after 72 years in Washington Square
Connelly Hardware, a mainstay of Washington Square, has closed its doors after 72 years in business. The family-owned hardware store, which opened in 1951, shut down in March due to increased competition from online shopping and the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, which was brutal on local businesses. Its doors will open one last time… Continue reading Connelly Hardware closes after 72 years in Washington Square
Chamber of Commerce searching for new leader again as businesses struggle with economic uncertainty
The Brookline Chamber of Commerce is searching for a new leader, as businesses in town face a challenging adjustment to the post-pandemic economic reality. The chamber’s executive director Lisa Leger departed in late December, just nine months after starting the job. It was a “mutual decision” between Leger and the board, according to David Gladstone,… Continue reading Chamber of Commerce searching for new leader again as businesses struggle with economic uncertainty
Brookline Food Pantry serves 700 households a week, as need remains high
The Brookline Food Pantry, a nonprofit organization with three different locations in Brookline, is currently serving as many as 700 households a week, almost a four-fold spike since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. With a quarter of Brookline residents “financially vulnerable” according to the Brookline Community Foundation’s 2023 “Understanding Brookline” report, there is an… Continue reading Brookline Food Pantry serves 700 households a week, as need remains high
New rental assistance program aims to ‘keep people in their homes’
Brookline renters facing eviction may benefit from a new rental assistance program from the Brookline Community Development Corporation, which will provide up to $5,000 to help with late rent payments. Funded by an initial grant of $41,000 from the Brookline Community Foundation, the program was created to help “keep people in their homes,” said Deborah… Continue reading New rental assistance program aims to ‘keep people in their homes’
Erratic mail service frustrates residents as USPS struggles to hire
As Brookline’s postal service struggles with staffing issues, residents say they are missing important deliveries and are unable to count on their mail arriving on time or at all. Long-time residents say current problems with mail delivery are the worst they’ve ever seen, and that repeated delays and incorrect deliveries since the summer have made… Continue reading Erratic mail service frustrates residents as USPS struggles to hire
Only a third of tax-exempt organizations in Brookline make payments in lieu of taxes, report finds
Brookline is missing out on roughly $2 million dollars in potential revenue from tax-exempt organizations that own property in town but do not participate in the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) program, according to a new draft report. Only 31% of the eligible organizations in town currently participate in the PILOT program, found a committee created by Town… Continue reading Only a third of tax-exempt organizations in Brookline make payments in lieu of taxes, report finds
Brookline weighs its housing future as zoning law deadline approaches
Brookline is scrambling to meet the requirements of a state zoning law that could shape the town’s housing landscape and character for decades to come. The MBTA Communities law requires zoning changes meant to incentivize more multifamily housing near public transportation in hundreds of towns and cities across Massachusetts. In Brookline, two distinct paths with… Continue reading Brookline weighs its housing future as zoning law deadline approaches
Report shines light on Brookline’s financially vulnerable
Roughly one in four Brookline residents is financially vulnerable, living in households with incomes well below the living wage for Norfolk County, according to a new report coming out next week from the Brookline Community Foundation. More than one-third of Brookline residents spend over 30% of their income on housing. These are among the most… Continue reading Report shines light on Brookline’s financially vulnerable