David Modica didn’t realize his remarks at Town Meeting had gone viral until his phone started blowing up the next morning.
His comments — questioning Marblehead’s plan to comply with the MBTA Communities Act (also known as 3A) by zoning the Tedesco Country Club golf course for multifamily housing — struck a chord with residents in town and far beyond. (Read an article about Modica in the Boston Globe HERE.)
The proposal, approved by Town Meeting, designates the golf course (along with Broughton Road) as part of the town’s 3A zoning district. Critics, including Modica, say that decision makes it less likely that meaningful housing will actually be built.
“The dishonesty and the amount of bad faith is toxic,” Modica told the Current on Wednesday. “This isn’t Democrats versus Republicans. It’s 2,000 of our neighbors sitting there lying to ourselves and to the state. We’re bulls—ing” each other.”
Modica, who grew up in Marblehead and remains a resident, works as an internet entrepreneur. He said he voted several times to support 3A and knew it had been rejected by a referendum last summer.
‘Are we kinda being pricks?’
As Town Meeting moved toward approving the plan Monday night, Modica stood and delivered remarks that quickly spread online.
“So, this is a way to comply with 3A without doing any of the 3A stuff? Are we trying to do nothing? Because it seems like we’re doing nothing,” he said.
He continued: “So, when we’re preserving, like, the character of Marblehead, it’s like, it’s bad — we’re selfish. We’re doing a bad thing. We’re not doing any housing. Are we kinda being pricks?”
By Wednesday, Modica said he understood why the moment resonated.
“It’s important to say what we’re doing out loud,” he said. “We’re pretending we can’t do anything about housing — as a town, as a country — that our hands are tied. But it’s just us” making the decision.
He also questioned the state’s acceptance of the plan, which he views as compliance on paper rather than in practice.
“We shouldn’t be signing our name to a lie and the state shouldn’t let us get away with it.”
On state funding tied to compliance, he added: “We don’t f—ing deserve it. It’s just not the right thing to do.”
A broader housing debate
Modica said he hopes the attention leads to more honest conversations — but ultimately, more action.
“What would be better is if people built some f’ing housing. People a lot smarter than me have been talking about it for years. People aren’t confused. They just don’t want more housing.”
He said speaking up matters, especially in a town where consensus can be assumed too easily.
“We should all be vocal. Otherwise we think we’ve reached a consensus that we haven’t. When we speak out, we give permission to others to speak out.”
