Thread by @BenForWard3

🚨Community Benefits Agreement Update!🚨
A historic moment: after nearly a year of negotiations, the Union Square Neighborhood Council negotiating team has released the details of the tentative CBA that they've reached with the Union Square Developer. 1/

Some highlights in this thread, and you can read the full details here: unionsquareneighborhoodcouncil.org/images/docs/19…, and join us TONIGHT (Tue. 8/20, 7:00p, Union Square Police Station) for the first presentation on the details 2/

Some highlights: 🏠big increase in the number of affordable units built up front (in addition to the 90 units (20%) already promised, the CBA includes 39 additional affordable units, bringing the total for the first phase to ~26%!) 3/

👩‍🔧 many commitments to good local jobs (both construction and permanent) and workforce development, including agreement with @UNITEHERE26 on future hotel (a *very* exciting, precedent-setting first in Somerville!), 4/

@UNITEHERE26 🌳increasing the number of neighborhood parks from one to THREE (!) - while we didn't win the fight to move the parking garage underground, these three parks are an enormous win; 5/

🍦☕️assistance for local small businesses, including funding for staff positions at Union Square Main Streets (@AllAbout02143) and #FirstSource jobs program at @SCC_Somerville 6/

🌏 clear commitments around sustainable building design (including a 51-unit "passive house" apartment building that will contain 76% affordable units!), and much more. 7/

After many years of community organizing and process around this development, this is a historic achievement. Once the community has had time to understand all the details, there will be a "ratification" vote to endorse the agreement - stay tuned! end/

Three cheers for these local champions in the Union Square Neighborhood Council (and many others not pictured here!), just after they voted to advance the CBA for a ratification vote from the whole neighborhood