Why Beacon Hill’s Housing Moves Pass Boston By
Boston’s zoning independence sets it apart as lawmakers upzone the rest of the state. That means some of the state’s most impactful reforms haven’t occurred there, yet.
Federal Housing Law Includes Modest Help for Mass.
A new bipartisan housing law includes financing reforms and zoning incentives that could chip away at some of the many barriers to building in Massachusetts. But its flashiest provision won’t do much.
Faced with Crippling Housing Crisis, Beacon Hill Nibbles at the Edges
Despite promises of a “bold” housing bill this year, with less than a month left to go, state legislators look like they’re going for singles and doubles, not home runs when it comes to the housing crisis.
New Report Urges Mass. to Think Small in Solving Housing Crisis
A new report finds that the state is specifically lagging in building the type of houses particularly suited to young families and elder residents: small ones.
MBTA Eyes Another Spending Boost as ‘Austerity’ Approach Fades
Under pressure from the Baker administration, the T slashed spending only to cause huge safety problems. With that crisis behind it, the T and Beacon Hill are taking a different approach to transit resources.
Driscoll Offers Support for YIMBY Legislation During State House Rally
Advocates for stronger state laws allowing more housing to be built got a boost Wednesday from the Healey administration, as Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll told a crowd gathered in front of the State House that local communities have to step up and be part of the solution.
How Lynn’s Shuttered Hospital Is Being Transformed into Affordable Homes for Seniors
When Lynn’s only hospital shuttered in 2020, it was a devastating blow. Six years later, it’s preparing to welcome a 150-unit affordable housing community.
For Mass. Residents, Housing Is Where Affordability Hits Hardest
When it comes to the most visible sign of unaffordability in Massachusetts, it all comes down to four walls and a roof, new polling shows.
Senate Passes $3.6B Bill Requiring Sellers Disclose Flood Risks
The Mass Ready Act bond bill includes a provision that would require home sellers to disclose their property’s flood history and risks to prospective buyers and money for a voluntary buyout program.
Rail Projects Inch Along in W. Mass. as MassDOT Discusses Hourly Springfield-NYC Trains
Major transit improvements may be on the horizon in Springfield, according to Meredith Slesinger, rail and transit administrator for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
Rent Control Opponents Warn of $300B Hit to Local Budgets
Real estate industry leaders ave already warned in dire terms that imposing rent control across Massachusetts would bring housing construction to a halt and make it harder for landlords to invest in property repairs.
SJC Judges Show Skepticism of MBTA Zoning Challenge
What the SJC will decide as it wrestles with the town of Marshfield’s lawsuit may turn on a simple, pointed line of inquiry: “What were the expenses?”
‘Couldn’t Come at a Better Time’: Six Gateway Cities to Get Economic Boost in Downtown Districts
Malden and five other cities have struggled to draw investment to its blighted downtown areas. But thanks to a new partnership with MassDevelopment, locals hope that’s about to change
Reluctant MBTA Communities Start to Buckle
In the wake of a lawsuit filed last month by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, some leaders of the holdout towns are starting to openly acknowledge that this may be the end of the road for resistance to the law.
Rent Control Opponents Sue to Keep Measure Off the Ballot
Rent control opponents have gone to court to try to stop a November ballot question that would impose one of the strictest caps on rent in the country.
DeMaria Leaves Major Developments in Hands of Everett’s New Mayor
“Development” is a promising word in Gateway Cities, and Everett’s new mayor just inherited a lot of it in his first few weeks in office.
MBTA Budget Fix Could Be Even Tougher Sell in 2026
At first blush, the latest budget crunch forecast at the MBTA looks like déjà vu all over again, to borrow Yogi Berra’s famous phrasing.
Prospects Shaky for Cape, Berkshires Real Estate Transfer Fee
Representatives of “seasonal communities” on Cape Cod, the Islands and the Berkshires face steep hurdles to get financing they say is needed for new workforce housing.
Boston Tax Relief Bills Emerge for Senate Action
After turning up their collective noses at Mayor Michelle Wu’s latest attempt to rebalance Boston’s property tax bills, Senate leaders are ready to forge ahead with their own relief plans.
In Everett and Chelsea, Mass. Kicks Off Big Bet on Battery Storage
A former Exxon oil storage facility on an industrial plot of land just 4 miles from downtown Boston could be Massachusetts’s ticket to a green energy future – and lower utility bills.
