"It's not as simple as density is good or bad" says our ED Stacy Thompson introducing our final #VirtualStreetTalk -- happening now!

Tune in to the Facebook Livestream here: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=wgbh%20forum%20network&epa=SEARCH_BOX

How do we start building context for housing during an economic slowdown, instead of a period of growth?

Seems likely that the demand for new housing construction will decrease in the next few years, says @amydain

Some considerations: Will young adults who've lost their jobs move back in with their parents? Will college and grad students be coming back later this year? Will Air BNBs be converted back to housing?

@amydain predicts we'll see an increase in ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units, like "in-law apartments" or "granny flats").

Housing advocates have spent decades advocating for ADUs to be in allowed in zoning codes, and very few get permitted

@wendelltjoseph proposes that urban shrinkage and economic downtown is an opportunity to think about development

If we lose our "social infrastructure" -- restaurants, churches, hair salons -- we lose what makes a city great

Black-owned restaurants and businesses in Boston are facing an emergency right now. These are community institutions, and to lose them would be a tragedy. Development helps us think about how to preserve these cultural assets. -- @wendelltjoseph

"Our Main Streets depend on density, but our density depends on Main Streets..." says Stacy Thompson #VirtualStreetTalk

Our main strategy for building affordable housing in this region has been to get developers to build some portion of their units as affordable (10-20%).

Many of these "affordable" units are priced to be affordable to households making 80% of Area Median Income -- they can go for rents as high as $1600 or $1800/month. Hardly affordable to those making minimum wage, says @amydain

The question of if you're going to move to the suburbs is a very privileged question.

We as planners need to be thinking beyond density -- let's think about healthcare, labor laws, etc. Density is not the scapegoat -- there are a whole lot of other things that need to be on the table as well. Good words to end on from @wendelltjoseph #VirtualStreetTalk