Vote No on Article 7
A lot of people in Hanover probably read books like Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson and agree that America has made it far too difficult to build housing. They believe prosperous, progressive communities should welcome new residents and make room for workers, young families, and future generations. But those values only matter if we are willing to live by them here in Hanover, not just applaud them in the abstract.
That is why voters should reject Article 7.
Last year, Hanover adopted zoning reforms because the status quo was no longer working. Article 7 would reverse course before we have even given those changes a chance to work. It sends a clear message: we support more housing, just not here.
I say this as someone who lives in town, near campus, and who would be directly affected by future development. I still support the reforms because I believe preserving Hanover’s long-term vitality matters more than preserving every neighborhood exactly as it is today.
Much of the concern around this issue seems to center on students. But Hanover would not be the vibrant, economically stable, culturally rich community it is without Dartmouth. The College is not an outside force imposed on the town; it is part of the reason this town thrives. Dartmouth also deserves credit for investing in additional student housing, which is already helping reduce pressure on surrounding neighborhoods. That is exactly the kind of leadership we should encourage.
And the reality is that most students are good neighbors. The students living near me are overwhelmingly respectful young people trying to live their lives, just as generations before them did. We should be careful not to let anxiety about change turn into hostility toward the very people who help sustain this community.
Nor is it just about students. We want to live in a town where all sorts of people can make a home. That means housing has to become more affordable, which in turn means opening up to new kinds of dwellings. Hanover residents cannot claim to support inclusion, diversity, housing affordability, environmental sustainability, and economic opportunity while making it extraordinarily difficult for people to live here.
I hope voters reject Article 7.