League of Women Voters' Questionnaire 2022

Question 1: What are the one or two most critical issues in your precinct and/or the town and how would you address them?

Affordability and excessive development are significant issues. Current market incentives are contrary to a healthy diverse community. Developers cram in more multi-million-dollar units, squeezing out light, air and greenspace with overly large projects; and further crushing affordability. The Town must work actively to counterbalance this dynamic. It requires thoughtful planning. We can strategically increase density, create mixed-use development, without destroying neighborhoods. Brookline is a wonderful town, I would like to ensure it can provide the same opportunities to everyone that our family has been fortunate to enjoy.

Question 2: Biographical data

My wife Anne Turner and I raised our children in Brookline public schools. I have been Chair of Advisory Committee, committees on Schools, Public Safety, Human Services; Board Member of Brookline Greenspace Alliance advocating for openspace in our community; Board Member of Brookline Community Foundation where I collaborated in focusing our resolve and activities in addressing disparities in Brookline.

Email Harry. (harry.bohrs@bmc.org)

Other Information/Extended Questionnaire Response

We are in a highly impacted area of Brookline.

Affordability and excessive development are significant issues for our precinct. Current market incentives cause developers to cram in more multi-million-dollar units, squeezing out light, air and greenspace with overly large projects - further crushing affordability. The Town must work actively to counterbalance this dynamic, preserving our town’s character and supporting housing affordability. It requires thoughtful planning. We can strategically increase density across Brookline and create mixed-use development without destroying neighborhoods.

I have served as Chair and remain on the Town’s Advisory (Finance) Committee, and through this subcommittees on Schools, Town/School Partnership, Public Safety, and Fiscal Planning and Human Services, among others. I serve on the Brookline Greenspace Alliance advocating for openspace, on the Brookline Community Foundation (BCF) where I collaborate to address disparities in Brookline, and have served on the Community Development Block Grant Committee, where I have consistently acted to fund needed projects at our BHA facilities. I have also authored legislation to provide for the formation of Neighborhood Conservation Districts.

I have lived in this neighborhood as both a renter and homeowner with my wife Anne Turner, where we raised our children in Brookline public schools and extended day programs, and remain strongly committed to them

Brookline is a wonderful town, and I would like to ensure it can provide the same opportunities for others that our family has been fortunate to enjoy; ensuring a safe, green community with leading schools and strong, inclusive civic values.