How Will Boston’s Rent Stabilization Shake Out?
Other cities’ experiments with “rent control 2.0” offer clues to how Boston Mayor Michelle Wu may try to fulfil a key campaign promise while keeping developers on-side.
Fossil Fuel Bans Are Not the Solution to Our Climate Crisis
The news is dire. We immediate action to address the monumental threat of climate change. But Massachusetts must be strategic about how we tackle this challenge, and avoid well-intentioned but deeply flawed ideas.
Personnel File – No. 268
From new VPs to fresh project managers, see who’s been hired, promoted and honored: it’s The Personnel File.
Investing in Water Infrastructure Has to Be at the Top of the List
What’s the single most important thing for a Massachusetts community to support biotech firms? It’s not access to venture capital or passels of PhDs. Instead, it’s municipal water and sewer lines in commercial areas.
McKinsey Report Gets It Wrong on Offices, CRE Leader Says
A new report from McKinsey & Co., commissioned by the Baker administration, suggests downtown Boston’s office market could be in for a rough ride as remote work takes hold among tenant companies.
Optimism and Recovery Expected for CRE in Second Half of 2021
As we continue to rebuild and recover in the new normal, it’s time we take a look at the last year’s predictions to separate fact from speculation as the reality of a post-pandemic world becomes clearer.
Baker Vetoes Climate, Emissions Reduction Bill Amid Developer Opposition
Scuttling what looked to be a major session-ending accomplishment for the legislature, Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed ambitious climate legislation on Thursday over his concerns that key pieces of the bill could stymie housing construction, and that the legislature did nothing in the bill to help cities and town adapt to the effects of climate change.
Boston Finalizes Fair Housing Zoning Changes
A plan to reverse exclusionary zoning in Boston and address discriminatory housing practices needs only Mayor MartyWalsh’s already-pledged signature to take effect, after receiving a favorable vote Wednesday from the Boston Zoning Commission.
Real Estate, Banking Industries Respond to Capitol Siege
Major figures in the banking and commercial and residential real estate industries roundly condemned Wednesday’s attack on the U.S. Capitol Building by supporters of President Donald Trump aimed at halting Congress’ ceremonial affirmation of the 2020 election results.
NAIOP Supports New, Multi-State Car Emissions Pact
The program would set a limit on vehicle emissions, and hold auctions for fuel suppliers that transport gasoline into Massachusetts and other states to purchase allowances for every ton of carbon dioxide that the fuel they are carrying would emit when burned.
How CRE in Massachusetts Navigated a Year of Pandemic and Social Unrest
One thing is clear; 2020 drastically changed expectations and the way the world did business. But industry stepped up to the plate, responding with kindness, creativity and courage.
NAIOP Executive Director to Leave for Florida Job
The second-in-command at Massachusetts’ commercial real estate trade group is leaving the organization for a new job in Florida.
MBTA Cuts Will Ripple Through Real Estate
The MBTA’s proposed slimmed-down service menu for 2021 could cause indigestion for downtown Boston office landlords, discourage multifamily development near commuter rail stations and widen social inequities in accessing reliable transportation, real estate industry and economic development sources predict.
NAIOP Study Predicts Industrial Downturn in Q3
It was the darling of commercial real estate owners and brokers staring into the abyss of the early pandemic, but the market for industrial real estate will see a significant cooling-off this quarter, a new forecast from NAIOP predicts.
Stimulus Offers Commercial Landlords Savings on Improvements
Commercial landlords will get a tax break on building upgrades under the $2-trillion stimulus package awaiting final approval by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Tackling Congestion: Lessons Learned from London and Stockholm
There are 300,000 more vehicles on the road than five years ago. The result? Bottlenecks on highways and local roads throughout the region. It’s clear that creative solutions, big and small, are needed to address congestion.
NAIOP Elects 2020 Leadership
The trade group for Massachusetts’ commercial developers has named a new president and board chair for 2020.
The Legislature Is Hitting the Halfway Point: What Does That Mean for Commercial Real Estate?
While it is nearly impossible to predict how the session will end, legislative leaders have expressed an interest in tackling some significant policy issues including tax revenue, housing and climate change.
DeLeo Cautious in Face of Calls to Pass Housing Bill by Year’s End
Despite calls from housing experts, municipal leaders and Gov. Charlie Baker himself, House Speaker Bob DeLeo said he wasn’t ready to commit to passing a bill aimed at spurring housing production by the end of 2019.
UniBank Shows You Can Broaden Your Talent Pool
If a high school headmaster can be chosen to lead a prominent community bank, Massachusetts companies have few excuses for not having a better record on workplace diversity.
This Week’s Newspaper
