Commercial Interests
A Banker & Tradesman Blog
Progressives Blinded by Their Own Purity Test on Housing
Yes, we can solve the housing crisis, they say, but only if we stick with the morally pure solution – affordable housing.
The Roast of the Real Estate Turkeys
As the name suggests, this is one award you don’t want to get. A “Turkey” signifies that something has either gone terribly wrong or simply defies common sense.
Not All Smooth Sailing as Housing Zoning Deadline Looms
Gov. Maura Healey has an ambitious plan to tackle the state’s housing crisis. But some recent developments in Boston’s suburbs and exurbs should raise concerns about the willingness on part of some local communities to embrace the governor’s call to action.
Will Transfer Tax Be Healey’s Million-Dollar Whiff?
Million-dollar home sales just aren’t what they used to be in Greater Boston. And that’s a major problem for Gov. Maura Healey as she forges ahead with her proposal for a local-option tax on expensive home sales.
Governor, Use Your Bully Pulpit
Healey’s plan takes an important step towards zoning reform and plows $4.1 billion into new housing. But she needs to be willing to call out NIMBY selfishness as it happens and make the case for a healthier society.
The Boston Lab Market’s Dead? Hardly
Yes, unbuilt suburban lab projects are unraveling and rents are sinking, but the life science industry is built on real demand and requires in-person work. Life science real estate isn’t going anywhere in Boston.
Another Slow-Motion Crisis Stalks Our Public Housing
There is arguably an even bigger problem when it comes to public housing in Massachusetts, one that has drawn little media attention: the huge number of public housing units on the cusp of being uninhabitable.
Diana DiZoglio Needs Your Help
To save us from Beacon Hill’s vortex of petty feuds and back-room deal-making, the state auditor needs hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to fuel a crusading ballot campaign that will force better government.
Treat Wu’s Rezoning Pledge with Skepticism
Boston’s mayor is finally keeping her pledge to rezone the city for more growth. But she’s up against forces her three predecessors couldn’t tame and some of her helpers may lack local knowledge.
Rent Control Leaves Housing Advocates in a Bind
Housing advocates know a supply shortage is behind our runaway rents. But their two closest groups of allies sit on either side of the issue, and each see the debate in existential terms.
Somerville Mangles Union Square Project Process
To see a current example of local bureaucracy run amok, one need look no further than Somerville, where city officials are giving the run-around to a promising proposal, and giving up their power to a big, corporate developer.
The One YIMBY Running in Boston
One is better than none, but when only one out of 34 people running for seats on the Boston City Council appears to truly get what needs to be done to fix the housing crisis, we’ve got a problem.
Refuges from Boston’s Housing Market Are Disappearing
Some of the last remaining escape hatches from Greater Boston’s grossly overpriced housing market – Worcester and Providence – are starting to close. And unfortunately, local NIMBYs seem determined to make the problem worse.
The Emperor Had No Clothes, After All
The end may finally be near for WeWork. To that, I say: Good riddance, and maybe we can look forward to a little less bunkum in a business world that’s been full of it.
Eng’s New Hires Are a Bigger Deal Than You Think
Leave it to the local press to miss the significance of the first big management move by new T chief Phillip Eng. His new hires aren’t cronies, and they’re not “reinforcements,” either.
Where’s the Plan, Governor?
“From dire to downright catastrophic” just about sums up the steady progression of the housing crisis in Massachusetts over the past year, with new construction falling off a cliff as rents and home prices keep setting records.
America’s Biggest Flipper Calls It Quits
Sadly, taking advantage of other people’s misery and mistakes can be a highly profitable business. But it comes with big reputational risks – something that David Hicks found out the hard way.
With Questionnaire, Housing Advocates Jump into Boston Politics
The solution to our housing woes? Elect more local officials who truly get that a shortage is what’s driving up those crazy prices and rents. Enter Abundant Housing Massachusetts.
Is Bulfinch’s Natick Mall Lab Plan Dead or Alive?
When it comes to real estate projects, no news is not good news. Rather, it’s an almost universal sign of bad news.
A Modest Proposal for a Truce on Real Estate’s Carbon Emissions
Why not let posh suburbs like Wellesley and Lincoln pass all the green mandates and regulations they can dream up? But there’d be a catch: Get serious about helping Greater Boston fix its housing affordability crisis.
This Week’s Newspaper
