Not surprising. Seems like the fix has been in from the very beginning. The city is a 'stakeholder' and not only does it pick the mediator - a firm with past ties to the developer - but it picks the other 'stakeholders.' Good luck getting a fair shake out of that!

The city has been in charge of this whole charade from the beginning, pulling strings behind the scenes. Why waste the time on the mediation if it is just going to get built anyway? At least someone in this town has got the balls to call BS on the city.

Why shouldn't it get built? SCC is a private property owner that is already conforming to existing zoning regulations. The fact that they are willing to sit down with their neighbors and address whatever legitimate concerns they might have speaks volumes about their good faith. And the Union Square Rising members' silence about the similarly sized and shaped luxury condo project going in next to Market Basket, combined with stated goal of preventing the project from being built at all (as exemplified by Jasmine's comment), speaks volumes about their real objection to mediation.

I think conflict-of-interest is real issue that should be addressed and acknowledged, especially in mediation situations. So let's evaluate this concern on its merits. The Consensus Building Institute is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1993. It provides negotiation and dispute resolution--brokering agreements and building collaboration in complex negotiations around the world. David Fairman (what a name?!) leads CBI's International Development Practice and works with "multilateral development agencies, governments, and other national partners to institutionalize collaborative approaches to planning, policy and project decision making. In the U.S., he helps stakeholders craft policies and strategies in the domains of national security, energy and environmental policy, low-income housing, criminal justice and child welfare." His CV is 12-pages long and notes such clients as: U.S.­‐Pakistan
Leaders Forum, U.S.‐Muslim Engagement Project, the Asian Development Bank, the MA Dept of Youth Services, the Summit on the future of Public Housing, and many, many others. He has also authored 3 books on negotiation on public health and environmental issues. Nearly 25 years ago, he worked for SCC as a landlord-tenant mediator after college before going on to teach and conduct conflict resolution in the U.S. and abroad. One of CBI's other ~10 mediators would support the Washington St project's mediation. David would not be involved in any way. Is this a conflict? I think not.

It is about time the "Somerville Rising" advocates stop playing the Mayor as a soft hit. Exploiting his readiness to suggest mediation by complaining that an internationally credible mediation firm is "biased" insults the Mayor's good will and his - and his city's - readiness to embrace diverse opinions. They should realize (a) the Mayor's offer was very exceptional, and flattered their apparently naive and selfish view that they must win, at all costs; (b) people involved in mediation have lengthy personal and professional histories they must regularly put aside; (c) there are people who are really professional, in mediation, in housing, and in city planning; and (d) professionals may be quite justified in disagreeing with a narrow view of "affordable housing" that lumps the really poor with the transitional moderate income population targeted by SCC.

I suggest that SCC pull out and sell the site to the Somerville Housing Authority or the Somerville Homeless Coalition or, perhaps, JustaStart or advocates for recovery or rehabilitative housing to support clients of the Police Department just across the street from the site. Or, perhaps, Zak Zasloff might prefer that the city move that Police Station, since so many poor people go in and out of their neighborhood all day long.

Joe - you are right - the city and the mayors office have been exceptional in this matter by suggesting and paying for mediation. The people involved in the mediation, I would hope, would behave professionally. The mediators personal opinion of whether the project that is all low and moderate income is a "housing project" with all the perceived challenges, trouble, drawbacks, incentives and benefits to themselves and rather focus on helping the parties in the room better understand one another, what each others concerns are and then identify a better path that keeps everyone happy.

I hope that we get to hear what was asked for and what was offered.

And the Tea Party tactics continue. Zasloff pulled out of the mediation because he is not interested in compromise. His sole objective is the destruction of a completely altruistic attempt to provide affordable housing to working class people. And why is Zasloff the only person in this group we ever hear from? He should move back to South Carolina and run for office, he could become governor. The tactics of Union Square Rising are so professional I feel like Karl Rove himself is leading the charge. It makes me wonder where they are getting their funding from and what their fearless leader's true objectives are, other than spitting in the face of hard-working Somerville people.
And Jasmine, I've read your comments in the past and it leads me to believe that not only do you have no idea what is going on with the Boys and Girls Club, but you also have no concept of city politics. Mayor Joe has no vested interest in seeing this development succeed. In fact, he could score major points with weak minded people such as yourself by killing the project.

Ha ha ha Guy. "A completely altruistic attempt to provide affordable housing to working class people." Cue the violins, please! Now who's the one with no concept of city politics?

There is one motivation behind this project: Greed, pure and simple. Fifteen million bucks for 40 units? That's $375K per unit! All made possible by your tax dollars and your role as a useful idiot pushing this ridiculous idea that everyone deserves a luxury condo with dishwasher, air conditioning, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances whether they have a job or not.

There are vested interests everywhere. Everyone is getting a little cut of meat off this project. That's the only way things get done in Somerville. No pay, no play.