About Us
Our Mission
Building a Better Wellesley advocates for attainable and affordable housing. We support housing that creates economic and racial diversity, provides homes for downsizing seniors, maintains family support networks, allows Wellesley’s workforce to be Wellesley residents, enables young families to set down roots, strengthens our retail centers and builds a more sustainable environment. Building a Better Wellesley is committed to providing housing information and learning opportunities for the community. We strive to be a positive voice for thoughtful housing development.
Our Leaders
Building a Better Wellesley was founded in 2019 by a passionate group of volunteers united by a common goal of making housing in Wellesley more accessible, sustainable, and affordable. These volunteers are motivated by the prospect of better accommodating the evolving needs of long-time residents, and also welcoming people of diverse backgrounds into our community. As Building a Better Wellesley expanded in size, we adopted a "Steering Committee" that focuses our efforts around concrete policies and public engagement.
Steering Committee
Ann-Mara Lanza, Founder and Co-Chair
Deed McCollum, Founder and Co-Chair
Sheri Kassirer, Founder
Sally Watts
Andrew Mikula
Irene Flint
Our Members
Since Building a Better Wellesley's founding, we have sought to include a broad coalition of stakeholders in a meaningful and ongoing conversation around housing in Wellesley. That includes people of all ages, races and ethnicities, genders, and faiths. It includes residents, business owners, town employees, and students. We believe that the best way to "build a better Wellesley" is to involve as many different voices in the conversation as possible, and that the best time to consider the future of housing development in Wellesley is now.