Reasonable Fix to Boston’s Property Tax Problem Passes Senate
A bipartisan measure passed the state Senate last week to finally give seniors in Boston a break on their property taxes, fixing a problem the city’s mayor can’t.
Beacon Hill Won’t Go Big on Housing. But That’s Not the End of the Story
Hoping Beacon Hill will demolish NIMBY zoning in one grand bill? Consider the saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results.
In Maine and Mass., Dems’ Economic Tightrope on Display
Amid the fallout from Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner’s campaign, an overlooked intra-party fight over data centers shows how big of a problem Democrats have across the country.
Is Boston Headed for Stagnation? Or Is This Slowdown Just Temporary?
Boston was a boomtown in the 2010s, with tower cranes dotting the skyline. That era is definitely over, and a new report makes you wonder about where we’re headed.
Housing Is the Ultimate Numbers Game
That we have a housing shortage in Massachusetts, and that it is getting ever more dire by the year, is not some arcane economics debate.
Focusing on Income Inequality Misses the Forest for the Trees
It’s a cost-of-everything crisis, and it has put large swaths of the middle class under financial siege, especially here in Massachusetts.
Rent Control ‘Deal’ Is Just a Negotiated Surrender
The much-touted agreement between rent control advocates and a handful of developers is no compromise. And it will do nothing to lower housing costs.
Boston’s Top Taxman Is Out, But Big Questions Linger
Boston’s Assessing Department is the target of a multimillion-dollar lawsuit by building owners claiming the city jacked up their tax bills in retaliation for seeking abatements.
Fixing ADU Failings Could Pave Way for More Homebuilding
By standardizing rules for things like septic systems and setbacks, state legislators could also help revive our anemic single-family construction industry.
This Essay Has Boston’s Real Estate Scene Talking About Texas
Boston and Austin cities could not be more different in how they have dealt with the crushing cost of housing, and the seriousness with which local pols take the issue.
For Fort Point Artists, It’s Now or Never to Land a ‘Signature’ Venue
But the jury’s out on whether the Wu administration is ready to go to the mat for an arts, culture and civic palace of the size and scale some artists have set their sights on.
Why You Should Care About the MWRA’s Crappy Sewer Plan
Amazingly, after more than three decades, we are just now approaching the final act of the multibillion-dollar Boston Harbor cleanup. But advocates say state officials are backtracking.
It’s Plymouth vs. Pulte in Latest Case of NIMBYs on Parade
If you thought Wellesley was bad for battling a state plan to build new housing on a little-used community college parking lot, just wait until you see what’s happening in Plymouth.
Nixing Parking Mandates Could Save Housing Projects Up to 17 Percent
Towns and cities across the state have been heaping very substantial costs onto proposed apartment and condominium projects, a new report finds.
Is Boston Headed for Embarrassment Thanks to Warren’s Housing Bill?
Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act would single out cities, like Boston, that aren’t pulling their weight in building housing.
An April Fool’s Joke Says a Lot About Our Housing Struggles
As Wellesley residents fight to stop a local parking lot from being developed into badly needed housing, more than a few people see another sad display of NIMBY nuttiness.
New Data Shows Mass. Is Driving Its Residents Out
Massachusetts is starting to see a growing number of people head for the exits, from young professionals and families just starting out to wealthy couples nearing retirement.
The Most Interesting Maps of Massachusetts You’ve Ever Seen
A new project from a Suffolk University team shows just how little residential land in Massachusetts is legally primed for multifamily development: just 4 percent.
Rent Control Will Slash Property Values. Boston Will Be Hit Hardest
Talk about playing with fire: Some of the most affluent and politically progressive cities and towns in Massachusetts are the staunchest supporters of a draconian, statewide rent control proposal.
Why Won’t Candidates for Governor Bring Back the Starter Home?
Many Massachusetts pols have embraced the YIMBY Gospel. But why won’t Gov. Maura Healey or her Republican challengers get behind the biggest effort to unlock starter homes?
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