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Welcome to the May edition of The House Call. This edition breaks down results from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Young Residents Survey, including the appetite for legislative action on housing costs, and previews our new AI-enabled local land use regulation...

Out-of-pocket costs rose in 2025 for widely used Medicare drugs targeted under Inflation Reduction Act  BOSTON – Many Medicare seniors paid higher out-of-pocket costs in 2025 for widely used prescription drugs—despite a federal law intended to lower them, according to a new Pioneer...

A new analysis from ADP Research (reported in the Wall Street Journal) delivers a clear warning for Massachusetts: the Boston–Cambridge–Newton metropolitan area now ranks 48th out of 55 major U.S. metro areas in attracting young workers. The study tracks more than 400,000 workers in their 20s and evaluates metro areas on a simple but decisive set of factors—job availability, affordability, and access to degree-requiring work. On those measures, Boston lands near the bottom. High wages are no longer enough to offset the region’s high cost structure and weaker hiring momentum.

The Commonwealth had the nation’s lowest net business formation rate from 2020 to 2024, losing more than 17,000 employer businesses over nine consecutive quarters 

Per-capita analysis reveals surprising exposure in Virginia and Massachusetts, offering a fuller picture of how deeply federal dollars shape state economies 

In Massachusetts, the permitting process for new residential development often slows down housing production and adds unnecessary costs for builders. These costs are then passed onto buyers and tenants, helping to explain why Massachusetts has some of the most expensive housing in the country.  Most residential developments, from single-family...

Student achievement gains eroded amid shift to “social justice” education  

April 15th is more than a filing deadline – it’s a moment to reflect on how tax policy shapes the economic trajectory of Massachusetts. As residents finalize their returns, a broader question looms: are current tax policies helping the state grow, or quietly pushing people and capital...

Data show the requirements increase rents, reduce housing development 

This April edition of The House Call discusses a federal bill that, if passed, would be the most comprehensive supply-focused federal housing legislation enacted in decades. It also explains Massachusetts’ starter home zoning district program and its potential implementation challenges.