#ZoningReform

Requirement that 20 percent of a housing project remain permanently affordable places burden on developers that should be borne by the public as a whole Cambridge – Pioneer New England Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit in state Land Court against the City...

BOSTON – Even after statewide legalization in 2024, production of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in Massachusetts remains far from that of other states due to local zoning and permitting practices that continue to discourage development, according to a new Pioneer Institute study. 

This edition of The House Call explores new American Community Survey data comparing home values and rents to household incomes in Massachusetts cities. It also discusses a proposed rezoning in Boston that would allow for taller buildings downtown.

This edition of The House Call explains why the City of Boston is behind the curve on broadly allowing accessory dwelling units by right, and what it's doing to catch up. The newsletter also explores the (limited) housing options for seasonal workers on Cape Cod and how some employers are housing workers in company-owned buildings.

This edition of The House Call explores a federal proposal to cut Housing and Urban Development funding by 44 percent, and how it contrasts with a more recent congressional appropriations bill. The newsletter also provides an update on compliance with Massachusetts' multifamily zoning mandate around MBTA stations after the latest deadline.

Despite Massachusetts families’ strong interest in alternative to traditional educational models, entrepreneurs seeking to establish innovative learning environments face significant challenges, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute.

This edition of The House Call discusses a pending bill in Connecticut that both requires municipalities to plan for more affordable housing and preempts local zoning rules on small multi-family buildings and parking requirements. The newsletter also explores the possible effects of banning landlords from imposing "broker's fees" on residential tenants.

This edition of The House Call dives into the 2024 results from the U.S. Census Bureau's Building Permit Survey, including that Massachusetts permitted fewer new homes than it did in each year from 2013-2022. The newsletter also explains why the state's efforts to increase production of small, owner-occupied "starter homes" have thus far resulted in no new starter homes under official programs.

The April edition of The House Call provides an update regarding the MBTA Communities Act's implementation, with some communities amending their zoning via either referendum votes or Town Meeting this spring. The newsletter also includes a discussion of communities that have eliminated minimum parking requirements in recent years.

The March edition of The House Call covers recent zoning changes in Cambridge that allow 4 to 6-story buildings on every residential lot. It also summarizes reform recommendations from a state commission tasked with advising the Healey administration on how to ramp up housing production.