Creative people in the Boston area face a number of issues-- many of which revolve around the city's enormous cost of living. Getting By In Boston (which is a forum I helped start in 2014 to air these concerns out) hosted a great event on Nov. 19th to discuss The Situation. The event was masterminded by mastermind Jason Pramas, and cosponsored by the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. They recorded it, and I hear the video will be online soon. If you want to learn more about Getting By In Boston, here's a recap I wrote about the group's first year for Pyragraph.

It's nice to see that the media is starting to write about these issues. Alexa Mills wrote this great piece in October about artists being priced out of Somerville; it appeared on the MIT Urban Planning department's website, and quoted me for some reason. And in November, the Boston Magazine ran this piece.

As land prices go through the stratosphere and many people find themselves being priced out, zoning becomes a potential savior, since zoning laws define how land can be used. The city of Somerville is currently changing its zoning laws, which means that the local government is redefining how the city's physical space can be used for the next foreseeable future. On Dec. 7, there will be a public meeting about how these new laws affect the small businesses and the creative community-- if you live in town, you should think about attending! This is an important opportunity for all artists and small businesses.