You ran an article recently on massive and problematic retaining walls being built when older houses are torn down and replaced by new homes. While massive retaining walls may well be a problem, the massive homes being built to replace tear downs are also a massive problem.

While the city needs more housing, this is not the kind of housing that meets the need. These homes are unsightly and hugely disproportionate to the homes around them. Their size means that they are energy guzzlers and they are not affordable for anyone but the very wealthy.

If oversized retaining walls motivate push back, why don’t oversized homes?   

Lucy Ogburn

Newton Centre