I am among many people in Greenfield who have been working to identify various ways to increase housing in Greenfield over the past five years or so.
This is not a new problem. Because I have been actively advocating for improved housing, I receive phone calls from older folks in the hilltowns who want to move to Greenfield for easier transportation. They are stumped by the limited housing options. They ask to
be informed of any possible housing options for them.
I am also a walker, and I walk in many neighborhoods, noting which houses are abandoned. I notify the Health Department when I notice deteriorating housing. It would be wonderful to have more options for fixing those houses. One in my neighborhood has been empty for 25 years!
And we need choices that meet peoples’ needs. Individuals or couples do not necessarily need a large house. We also need appropriate housing for those who are physically impaired.
A thorough parking study of Greenfield done in 2023 pointed out that we have parking lots that are often half empty during business days. No mayor has ever promised that the Hope Street lot would be returned to parking. The parking garage has been thoroughly cleaned and is now on the DPW’s schedule for periodic cleaning. Try it!
Developing the Hope Street lot is an opportunity for Greenfield to provide housing options for those who already work in Greenfield — in our schools, businesses, or the hospital. Not everyone needs a two-story home. Tim Grader said it succinctly in his Sept. 12 My Turn [“Greenfield’s economic development requires community buy-in“]. “Rather than lamenting what we’ve lost, let’s commit to building a Greenfield that serves residents’ needs while preserving what makes our community distinctive,” he wrote.
I am excited to see the proposals that the city of Greenfield will receive from interested parties for new housing options on Hope Street!
Carol Letson
Greenfield