With just over a week to go until the end of the legislative session, a key piece of zoning reform legislation is still stuck in conference committee as part of a larger economic development bill.
Leaving the region’s housing policy in the hands of the small group of citizens who vote in local elections is not responsible. If only the “not in my backyard” contingent and the “more housing for all” contingent are taking part in local housing elections, we are missing the chance to address the housing issue on a broad scale.
The same old forces that got Massachusetts into its housing crisis are again threatening to stop a key bill that represents our best shot at tackling the problem any time soon.
Municipal elections across Greater Boston yesterday served as de facto forums on development, among other issues, and voters rewarded both pro- and anti-development candidates.
In a lengthy note posted to his official Facebook page, Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone came out in favor of rent control bills in the state legislature positioned by progressive legislators as an essential part of any deal to pass Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposed housing production bill.
As frightening as the prospect of a rent control proposal on Beacon Hill may be to some the issue is a red herring that threatens to distract everyone from efforts to get Gov. Charlie Baker’s Act to Promote Housing Choice passed as soon as possible.
