Brookline Select Board assigns town�s right of first refusal for 16 William St. to Victory Programs

Brookline Select Board Chair Bernard Green on Aug. 19 voted with the full board to assign the towns right of first refusal on 16 William Street to Victory Programs Inc., authorizing the Select Board chair to execute related documents and attaching obligations that make the property subject to town lodging-house requirements and additional conditions. The board took the step after more than an hour of public comment and a discussion that referenced federal fair-housing and disability law.

The assignment matters because it transfers the towns purchase right to a nonprofit operator proposing a transitional residence for women in recovery and their children, while preserving the Select Boards ability to impose licensing conditions tied to town lodging-house regulations.

Neighbors and advocates gave sharply divided testimony during the public-comment portion of the meeting. Kevin McKenzie, a Town Meeting member for Precinct 13, urged the board to approve the transfer: "I am asking you as the Select Board to vote favorably to allow Victory Programs to purchase the property at 16 William Street," he said. Several neighbors opposed the transfer and asked for stronger operational safeguards; Susan Fried of Winchester Street said, "Our concerns have been dismissed as overreactions," and said her group had collected a petition with about 300 signatures.

Medical and treatment professionals who spoke emphasized both compassion and risk-management. Dr. Orit Avni Beran, a psychiatrist, said addiction "is a disease" but added that clinical safeguards are needed: "I heard that there's no drug checks, which is standard of care when it comes to addiction programs. I've heard that there's no consequences for relapse, which is standard of care for these programs," she said.

Victory Programss chief operating officer and general counsel, Taylor Morley, responded to questions about a past violent incident at a different Victory facility. Morley said the event involved "an individual who's having a mental health crisis at that moment, who committed the act," and described the occurrence as "rare and one-off" for the organization, and said it took place in a different type of facility than the proposed family residence.

Select Board members discussed legal constraints on their decision. Member David Perlman noted federal protections and cautioned against discrimination: "We cannot discriminate with housing on the basis of disability," he said, citing the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act as limits on how the town may act. Chair Green urged neighborhood civility and noted that final operational oversight would come through licensing: he told residents they should submit specific, reasonable license conditions for the board to consider when Victory applies for a lodging-house license.

Town staff and counsel said the assignment document includes explicit obligations that mirror lodging-house rules and in several cases go further. Kara Bruton, the towns director of planning and community development, and Town Administrator Chaz Carey explained that the boards assignment will require Victory to meet the listed obligations and that subsequent license conditions will apply when Victory seeks a lodging-house license.

Motion and vote: Chair Bernard Green moved that the Select Board approve the assignment of the towns right of first refusal for 16 William Street to Victory Programs Inc., and authorize the Select Board chair to execute the related agreement and documents; the motion passed and the chair was authorized to sign. The assignment document attaches specific operational obligations and states the house will be subject to the towns lodging-house regulations; licensing conditions will be set when Victory applies for a lodging-house license.

Next steps: The assignment clears the way for Victory Programs to complete purchase steps. Victory will later apply for a lodging-house license; the board said it will accept written suggestions from neighbors about license conditions and will consider those when the licensing matter comes to the board. The board and town staff also said they will continue to engage with neighbors and Victory as the licensing and oversight process moves forward.

Ending: The transfer resolves the immediate question of who holds purchase rights to the property but does not finalize operating details for the site. The Select Boards authorization to execute documents signals the next phase will be licensing and implementation of the obligations listed in the assignment document, and the board invited neighbors to submit specific proposals for license conditions that are "reasonably related" to the lodging-house use.