Dealer charges
In her latest Herald article, Senator Lydia Edwards proposes yet one more authorities interventionist method to an issue that hardly scratches the floor of the particular problem at hand.
Backside line: a ban on dealer charges and push for insurance-based deposit alternate options misses the mark. It treats the signs of excessive housing prices — whereas ignoring the true illness: restrictive zoning, constrained provide, and overregulation.
Her place on tenant protections presents a well-meaning however in the end misguided coverage agenda. Sure, housing is dear. Sure, upfront prices are excessive. However the trigger isn’t brokers or deposits — it’s the factitious shortage created by our personal legal guidelines. Cities block density, sluggish allowing, and use zoning like a velvet rope to maintain individuals out. Till we repair that, affordability will stay out of attain irrespective of what number of charges we ban.
Equally flawed is the declare that homeownership disparities in 2025 are pushed by “systemic boundaries.” That phrase suggests present, intentional discrimination. However most of those disparities stem from financial variables: age, earnings, family construction, and wealth accumulation. Redlining and credit score bias have been unlawful for many years, and at present, minority patrons have entry to extra applications than ever. If inequity persists, we have to ask whether or not our coverage decisions — like limiting housing provide — are entrenching it.
Reforms that cut back boundaries to entry sound good, however once they improve landlord danger, take away market alerts, and don’t deal with the foundation drawback of provide, they’re not options — they’re distractions.
Need actual housing justice? Legalize density and repair the T to make your entire area accessible. Take away parking mandates. Get rid of exclusionary zoning. Let builders construct and let markets work. Till then, we’re rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship.
Gary Durst
North Billerica
Tattoos
A lot because of Scott Liftman for writing a 150% widespread sense column on absolutely the internet negatives that tattoos carry to our lives. Briefly, tattoos are a internet detrimental to our funds, our well being, our careers, our personalities, and our social lives.
They’re a waste of cash that may very well be higher spent or invested elsewhere, ink in your physique just isn’t precisely wholesome, and other people in any facet of life who wish to reject you attributable to your having a tattoo will certainly accomplish that. As well as, getting a tattoo as a manner of discovering that means in life is as nugatory as one can probably think about. In summation, avoid tattoos, spend and/or make investments your cash in a much more environment friendly method, and discover different methods to enhance your life, as having tattoos is not going to enhance any facet your life in any manner, form, or type.
Tony Siciliano
Framingham
