Single-Stair Can Unlock New Housing Without Compromising Safety
State legislators are considering a commission to study an idea that could create 130,000 new homes in Greater Boston. Towns and cities could be moving even faster.
A ‘Win-Win-Win’ is Possible in Wellesley and Beyond
Shaping a plan for 180 apartments on a Wellesley community college campus illustrates just how complicated carrying out the State Land for Homes program will be.
Minimum Lot-Size Reform Is a Modest Idea with Big Potential
A proposed 2026 ballot initiative could seed housing production by making it easier to build more affordable single-family starter homes in Massachusetts.
Mass. Should Say: ‘Yes in God’s Backyard’
Significant drops in religious affiliation have left many shrinking congregations struggling to maintain large buildings and surplus land. A new bill makes it easier to help them with affordable housing.
Proposed State Stormwater Regulations Will Undermine Our Housing Goals
Rigid and in some cases overengineered solutions would not make projects more resilient, and instead could significantly cut the amount of housing we can produce.
A Workhorse Affordable Housing Program Is Expanding Significantly
The need for more affordable housing in the Greater Boston area is at an all-time high, but construction is headed for a record low. Fortunately, Gov. Maura Healey has proposed tools that can help fix this.
‘Buy American’ Would Have Exacerbated Housing Shortage
The $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure law had an unintended consequence: Forcing affordable housing developments to abide by expensive and potentially unavailable U.S.-produced materials. Now there’s relief.
A Change in HUD Voucher Rules Improves Families’ Lives
A small shift in federal housing policy is yielding results that have the potential to better the lives of hundreds of thousands of low-income families.
Accessory Dwelling Units Are One Obvious Way to Create Homes
One of the most unfortunate casualties of the end-of-session scramble on Beacon Hill was a failure to legalize the creation of accessory dwelling units on many single-family lots statewide.
Affordable Housing and the Challenge of Becoming Climate Ready
How can affordable housing be built to operate to high efficiency standards, enduring into an uncertain climate future? Currently, the resources available to achieve these goals are falling short of the costs to meet them.
New Round of Grants, Tax Credits to Help Fund 1.6K Units
About $80 million in government funding and $40 million in tax credits will preserve and produce nearly 1,600 housing rental units in Massachusetts, under a round of awards announced Thursday by Gov. Charlie Baker.
