Turning '21 with Bill Shelton

ABOUT BILL SHELTON  Bill has been an activist, advocate, and nonprofit developer.  While his hard skills are in community-based economic development, his overarching commitment is to sustain, extend, and strengthen the bonds of community among our diverse neighbors.  His positions on housing, displacement, community, empowerment, urban design, open space, and systemic urban management may be found in the Somerville Times.   Bill holds a: BA, U.C. Santa Cruz; MA, Rutgers University; and MBA, Yale University.

ABOUT TURNING ’21:  This series is to answer questions for the community and the region. The theme is resilience – “the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses, and systems within a city to survive, adapt, and grow no matter what kinds of chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience.”  [Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities project.]   Attendance is free and open to the public but registration is required.   Turning ’21 is sponsored by Winter Hill Bank 
 
WHY SOMERVILLE?: Somerville is: the most densely populated city in New England; closer to downtown Boston than most of the City of Boston; and in the Brainpower Triangle of MIT, Harvard and Tufts.
 
WHY ’21?: In 2021, Somerville’s 4.2 square miles stand to be the leading edge of Greater Boston’s urban resilience. Few, if any, little cities in the world will see the incredible concentration of urban development in just 12 months as here.  In early 2021, Somerville will open a $256M high school.  During the year, Puma’s North American HQ will open.  Urban life sciences and mixed-use developments will break ground, while others will cut ribbons, in Boynton Yards, Union Square, McGrath Highway, Assembly’s Edge and Xmbly.  Brickbottom master planning will begin.  A new community path to Boston will open.  A renovated Somerville Museum for art, history & culture with access for all will be completed.    By year’s end, 85%+ of Somerville residents will live within walking distance of a mass transit station on Orange, Green, or Red line.  Somerville is best positioned to pioneer the region’s resilience.  Let’s get started.