Opinion
Columnists, guest columns, op-eds and editorials published in Banker & Tradesman and its special sections.
Guest Columns and Op-Eds
From high officials to lone operators, read a diverse cross section of perspectives on the issues facing the Massachusetts real estate and banking industries today.
Pitches for op-eds and special section guest columns should be directed to managing editor James Sanna at jsanna@thewarrengroup.com.
Four Business Lessons from the Boston Tea Party
I am a business school professor who often drives by the Tea Party site while taking his wife to work. Each time, I ponder the lessons this “party” has for people in business. Many aren’t obvious.
New Year, New Housing Policy Choices on Beacon Hill
Gov. Maura Healey’s housing bill boldly proposes a huge increase in affordable housing spending and equally needed policy reforms. But one provision, a transfer tax, would set Massachusetts back.
The DEI Lesson for Leaders in Dr. Claudine Gay’s Resignation from Harvard
Corporate leaders beware. These are not one-off actions that affect only academic institutions. They are the latest salvos in an escalating war against a key tool for future corporate success.
Banks Have a Powerful Tool Many Aren’t Using
With rules around special purpose credit programs now clarified, big names in the industry are turning to this 50-year-old tool to make a big difference in the lives of New England families.
The Transformational Opportunity in Allston
The I-90 Allston Multimodal Project is more than just a road repair project. It sets Greater Boston up for the future by unlocking billions of dollars in economic growth, new jobs and new affordable housing.
Boost Your Real Estate Game with These Hot Data Tips
The National Association of Realtors’ 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers is packed with insights that can help you take your business to the next level in 2024.
How to Get DEI Right in 2024
The year is going to be another year filled with cultural landmines for companies. But the cost of reversing DEI commitments will be far greater than most companies realize – as much as $5.4 trillion.
The Year Massachusetts Got Serious About Housing Production
2023 ushered in new policy initiatives to tackle the housing crisis. Is 2024 the year we get production back on track, as all levels of government signal they are prioritizing big solutions?
Serial ADA Plaintiff Makes a Hasty Retreat
The Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss an activist’s case, however, leaves the question unsettled of who can sue over Americans with Disabilities Act violations.
A Win for Affordable Housing in the Fenway
A religious order’s disposition of a 140-unit building was the perfect example of an opportunity to preserve this critical housing in a neighborhood with excellent access to public transit and amenities.
Ditch the Doom and Gloom About Real Estate Commissions
Associations, brokers, agents and MLS leaders shouldn’t assume that defendants in the commission lawsuits can win on appeal – and that agent commissions will go down in the lawsuits’ wake.
What Motivates Boston Renters to Explore New Communities
New survey data will help you understand your renters and earn their trust in a way that can build long-term tenant relationships.
Scott Van Voorhis
Commercial Interests
Columnist Scott Van Voorhis analyzes the commercial real estate market, state politics, housing and more with the perspective of a journalist with 40 years’ experience covering businesses in Massachusetts.
Prison Closures Offer Great Opportunities for More Housing
Gov. Maura Healey has promised to “go big” on housing as he pushes a multibillion-dollar spending plan. But three big pieces of disused or soon-to-be-disused state property show she’s got more work to do in that regard.
Liberal Cambridge Takes a Pass on Rent Control
Is it time to put aside the old schtick about the “People’s Republic” of Cambridge? The city has been an outlier among its inner-core peers in not pursuing rent control last year. The reasons for that are rooted in history.
Is a Boston Housing Tax Break Really Just a ‘Work in Progress’?
Wu’s decision not to move forward at this time disappointed housing developers with projects stalled on the drawing boards, but industry circles aren’t losing hope just yet.
Is Something Frightening Hiding in REIT’s Retrenchment?
Moves by the California-based Alexandria Real Estate Equities to dump a significant slice of its Boston-area life science real estate portfolio speak volumes about the state of the local lab market, none of it good.
Lew Sichelman
The Housing Scene
Syndicated residential real estate columnist Lew Sichelman has been covering real estate for more than 50 years. He is a regular contributor to numerous shelter magazines and housing and housing-finance industry publications.
Don’t Burn Your Mortgage
A couple of years ago, a Florida church celebrated making the final payment on the church’s mortgage by burning the document. But that century-old ritual comes with some huge risks.
States Seek to Battle Foreign ‘Invasion’
Florida recently enacted a bill that limits some foreigners from owning property in the state – a move that shocked some. It’s one of six states that passed laws this year barring foreigners from buying homes.
White House Acts to Boost Housing
The Biden administration is taking steps to help create more affordable houses and apartments, which could help fill the inventory gap that plagues the housing sector.
Homebuilders Ride a Bifurcated Housing Market
The existing home market has been stymied – by mortgage rates in the 8 percent range and ultra-low inventory – and it’s created an opening for builders to take credit for double their normal share of sales.