Snobs and artists

By Amy Dain
April 15th, 2008

Remember the Globe column by Steve Bailey about Jonathan Winthrop (old money) vs. John Walsh (new money)? Walsh wanted to move into a Beacon Hill co-op building, but Winthrop and the co-op board rejected Walsh’s application because he didn’t have the right pedigree. Walsh today is a wealthy executive, but he grew up in a Somerville housing project.

Is this kind of elitism legal? Bailey writes that co-op boards can legally reject any application as long as they do not break laws barring discrimination based on race, sex, or age. Some state legislators are working to change that - House Bill 1224 would make it so that co-op boards could only use financial criteria in selecting members.

In general, it sounds like a good policy change. But I am not so sure now after getting a call from Kathy Bitetti, a tireless advocate for artists. She says that the proposed change would in effect prohibit artists co-ops.

Is there a way to end Winthrop’s brand of housing elitism without undermining artists’ ability to create residential communities?