Lin is an effective supporter of well-managed housing growth and affordable housing, while at the same time she has worked to mitigate impacts on neighborhoods and abutters of multifamily developments that under the Planning Board’s current zoning rules can proceed “by right” after they check applicable zoning boxes.

For example, at the 2025 Annual Town Meeting she supported Article 2 to reduce the scale of MBTA zoning, and she voted “No” on an amendment to add back the Center as an MBTA zoning district, because she understood that the amendment failed to take into account the Center’s incompatibility with one-size-fits-all zoning rules.

She also co-sponsored a successful Article requiring developers to increase their projects’ set asides for affordable housing.

In December, Lin contributed to public comments on a proposed development at 16 Clarke Street that would be way out of scale for its surroundings. As a “by right” development under MBTA zoning rules, this project could not be disapproved by the Planning Board. Fortunately, the Historic Districts Commission (HDC) also has a say because 16 Clarke is in the Battle Green District, next to the library. Lin’s inputs along with other public comments helped to inform the HDC commissioners’ initial feedback to the developer, which motivated the developer to submit a much improved plan.

Now, on March 2, we have an opportunity to put Lin on the Planning Board where she will bring to bear her knowledge of zoning details, her experience as a Town Meeting member since 2018, and her common sense understanding of the impacts of Planning Board decisions.

I hope you’ll join me in voting to elect Lin Jensen to the Planning Board on March 2.

Peter Shapiro

Town Meeting Member, Precinct 4

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