Over the last five years, life has gotten more expensive. Likewise, operating a business has become more costly. In 2019, the Chestnut Hill Community Association and Chestnut Hill Local raised the prices for membership and newspaper subscriptions. Five years later, we find ourselves needing to do so again. As of September 1, 2025, the price of a yearly newspaper subscription to the Local will go from $55 to $65 in-state and $75 out-of-state. The price of a yearly CHCA membership that includes a subscription to the Local will move from $95 to $110.

As executive directors of both organizations, we’d like to take this opportunity to explain the decision and to ask for your wholehearted endorsement of our work and our worth.

Between our two organizations, we employ 19 people (15 for the Local, 4 for the CHCA). Each year, the Local produces 52 papers, two fun guides, four quarterly magazines (which are an included benefit to members and subscribers) and several other contracted publications. We’ve gone from being a small local entity to an award-winning newspaper, earning Newspaper of the Year Awards for two consecutive years and gaining recognition among our journalistic and advertising peers. We are growing even more ambitious in our scope of service to the community and have launched digital newsletters, expanded our geographic footprint, and embarked on more meaningful, ongoing news coverage and collaborations.

The Chestnut Hill Community Association hosts annual communitywide events such as the free Pastorius Park Concert series, Movies Under the Stars, and the Holiday Parade, monthly membership events, and spearheads advocacy work and green space initiatives on behalf of the community. The CHCA also serves as the coordinating Registered Community Organization for Chestnut Hill with the city, and works with local small businesses to provide members with the “Passport to the Chestnut Hill Experience,” a booklet with over $1,000 worth of free and discounted items.  

Over the past five years, operations, personnel costs, utilities, printing costs, and, especially, postage costs, have gone up. With postage costs increasing roughly every six months, the Local is losing money on newspaper circulation. This price increase ensures that subscribers and CHCA members will continue to receive the newspaper delivered to their home or business every week, which is an important connection to being part of our community.

The new Local subscription and CHCA membership pricing will go into effect on September 1, 2025. Before that time, anyone renewing their subscription or membership, or purchasing a new one, will be able to do so at the current price.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation. We look forward to greater financial health and sustainability as a result of this necessary change. We are grateful that our organizations have been serving our community since 1948 and we hope to continue long into the future.

Daralyse Lyons,

Publisher and Executive Director, Chestnut Hill Local

Anne McNiff,

Executive Director, Chestnut Hill Community Association