Latest news with #MBTACommunitiesAct
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
How much does a house near here cost now? One. Million. Dollars.
'I'll say it's a sad thing that it has reached that spot,' said Melvin Viera, Jr., with RE/MAX Real Estate Center and past president of GBAR. 'But it's a good thing that it has reached that spot as well.' Advertisement The number of single-family home sales in June jumped up 19.6 percent from last month, and 5.8 percent year-over-year, with 1,292 sold, according to GBAR's numbers, which cover most of Greater Boston aside from the North and South shores. Condominium sales rose 1.8 percent year over year, with 986 sold in June. The million-dollar figure came as little surprise to Dino Confalone of Gibson Sotheby's International Realty in Cambridge. The local real estate community has been anticipating it for months, he said, with the median single-family home price hovering just below that mark all spring. Advertisement And while unnerving for some, Confalone said, it does reflect well on the area. 'For decades, I've said Boston is undervalued,' Confalone said. 'You have to pay to play to live here... It is a frustrating headline to see for a lot of people, but it's the brutal reality.' Related : Boston University economist Adam Guren said Boston has been facing the same challenges as other coastal superstar cities whose housing stock hasn't kept up with demand, ever since the financial crisis in 2008. The pandemic only drove up prices, he said, then interest rates roughly doubled, and now the cost of construction has soared. Those factors, 'are huge headwinds to building more housing,' he said, 'and of course deporting construction workers doesn't help either.' For affordable housing advocates like Jesse Kanson-Benanav, executive director of Abundant Housing, the million-dollar figure was a milestone, but not one, as he put it, 'that anyone really wants to reach.' Prospective buyers at an open house in Woburn. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff 'It's unfortunate,' he said. 'There's so much more we need to do in Greater Boston and across Massachusetts to make sure that we have a Commonwealth that's affordable and accessible to everyone.' He said statewide measures like the MBTA Communities Act, 'There are so many more policy opportunities for us pending on Beacon Hill,' Kanson-Benanav said. 'Other cities in America' — like Austin or Charlotte — 'invest in expediting permitting and making more varieties of types of homes can be built as-of-right in neighborhoods.' Advertisement Those measures, he said, have led to a sharp increase in supply and stabilization of housing prices. A big, round number like a million dollars is a major signifier, one that will likely become an easy soundbite on Beacon Hill and Related : 'Across income levels, [housing costs are] hurting our businesses, our economy, and our competitiveness, and it tells us we need to take action,' said Rachel Heller, chief executive of Citizens' Housing and Planning Association, a Beacon Hill advocacy group. 'This is a solvable problem, and housing is the best investment that we can be making in our state.' But any new law will take time to result in actual homes that middle-class Massachusetts residents can buy. For people home shopping this summer, the price is steep. But GBAR's data does show one silver lining: The number of new listings on the market is up 8.9 percent compared with the same month last year, while condos were up 19 percent. And typically, home prices here peak for the year in June, when the seasonal housing market is at its busiest. Which means, hopefully for some, they'll mellow a bit and dip back below that million-dollar mark. For a little while, anyway. Janelle Nanos can be reached at
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wrentham won't fight court ruling; will comply with MBTA Communities Act
Wrentham town officials have decided to comply with the controversial MBTA Communities Act after the town suit against the state and zoning law was dismissed earlier this month in Superior Court. Wrentham Select Board members discussed the ruling and decided on the course of action at their meeting last week. 'After careful consideration, the Wrentham Select Board has decided not to appeal the recent decision,' board members and Town Manager Michael King said in a statement. 'Having pursued the case to a logical conclusion, the select board considered all various options, including appeal, and has determined that the most prudent and cost-effective option is to move forward while working proactively to manage future growth in a way that reflects the community's values and priorities. 'This decision also ensures that Wrentham remains eligible for key state funding opportunities that support infrastructure, public safety, education and other services critical to residents' quality of life,' local officials said. Lawsuits filed by the town and eight other communities against the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and others regarding the law were dismissed June 6 by a Superior Court judge. The other towns filing legal action against the state were Duxbury, Hamilton, Hanson, Holden, Marshfield, Middleton, Wenham, and Weston. In Hamilton, residents had filed the suit. The suits were filed earlier this year in hopes of not having to comply with the MBTA Communities Act, which requires communities hosting or adjacent to MBTA stations to set aside zoning districts to encourage multi-family housing. Prior to the suits being filed, the state Division of Local Mandates concluded the act was an unfunded mandate, citing the Local Mandate Law enacted during the onset of state property tax levy-limiting Proposition 2 1/2 in the early 1980s that says any state law or regulation that would impose more than 'incidental administration expenses' on local governments must either be fully funded by the state or be conditional on local acceptance of the rule. Under the law, cities and towns can ask the state auditor to determine if a state law or regulation constitutes an unfunded mandate, and to provide an analysis of the financial impact of such a mandate, and select board members did that last October. In February, DLM Director Jana DiNatale responded that grants the state offered communities to help develop new zoning demonstrated the law imposed additional costs, but didn't fully fund its implementation. The Local Mandate Law also allows any community facing an unfunded state mandate to request an exemption from compliance in Superior Court, and Wrentham sought such relief until the economic impacts of the law could be assessed. However, the court ruled the act didn't impose an unfunded mandate on cities and towns and the towns hadn't shown any direct costs for following the law. The towns had mentioned anticipated impacts to infrastructure, public safety and other municipal services from new housing development, but a judge said these were conjecture and lacked specifics about costs and projects. 'While Wrentham presented thorough arguments to the court, the presiding judge ultimately ruled that the Auditor erroneously determined that an unfunded mandate existed and found that the only mandatory obligation was to establish a zoning bylaw,' local officials said. 'Although the select board is dissatisfied with the outcome, it respects the court's decision. 'Throughout this process, the select board has remained committed to advocating for Wrentham's fiscal and planning interests. The select board honored its obligation to the town to seek financial impact information from the Commonwealth on the sweeping state-mandated changes to the town's zoning bylaws,' officials said. 'The select board remains dedicated to protecting the interests of Wrentham residents and will continue to engage with state partners to advocate for balanced, sustainable growth that benefits the entire community.' The state Supreme Judicial Court in January upheld the law as constitutional and mandatory, though the court said the compliance guidelines had not gone through the correct legal process and were unenforceable. The state then released new, emergency guidelines, giving noncompliant towns until mid-July to comply. Wrentham is the only Attleboro-area community falling under the MBTA law that hasn't approved new zoning districts. Residents at a heavily-attended town meeting late last year strongly opposed proposed zoning districts to meet the law's requirements. The town has until July 14 to comply under the extended deadline or risk legal action from the state. State officials have also threatened to withhold state grants from communities not adhering to the law. The Legislature sent its $1.3 billion surtax supplemental budget to Gov. Maura Healey's desk last week that earmarks $716 million for transportation. Language in the proposal requires towns subject to the MBTA Communities Act to comply with it to get millions in road money. Norton voters also balked against the law but at their May annual town meeting approved two new zoning districts after rejecting a district last fall. The Sun Chronicle is a news partner of To subscribe to The Sun Chronicle, click here. Reneé Rapp announces 2025 tour, here's how to buy tickets Martha's Vineyard makes waves with 'Jaws' 50th anniversary celebration Nantucket distillery awarded top honors for its single malt whiskey Red Sox 'Big 3′ join trio of elite Boston company Western Mass. man dies after being struck by car while crossing the street Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
These towns are still out of compliance with housing law as deadline looms
As the final hours before the deadline for many towns to comply with the MBTA Communities Act tick down, some are still holding out against the state's requirements. While some small communities have until the end of the year, most of the 177 cities and towns included under the 2021 law have until Monday, July 14, to implement new zoning allowing multifamily housing. But as of Friday, 14 had yet to do so, with several explicitly avoiding following the guidelines. The MBTA Communities Act requires cities and towns served by the MBTA to have at least one zoning district where multifamily housing is allowed by right. Its goal is to make it easier for developers to create new housing, relieving pressure on the expensive local housing market. In a January ruling, the Supreme Judicial Court upheld the law as constitutional and mandatory. However, the court said the compliance guidelines had not gone through the correct legal process and were, therefore, unenforceable. Soon after, the state has released new, emergency guidelines, giving the 28 towns that had not met their original deadlines until July 14 to comply. They were required to submit an action plan to achieve compliance by Feb. 13, which three towns — Halifax, Marshfield and Middleton — still have not done. After the deadline, noncompliant communities will be ineligible for many state grants and could also see further enforcement action. Previously, Attorney General Andrea Campbell sued the town of Milton to force it to comply, though she has repeatedly said she does not want to use legal action to force compliance. Milton has since approved a new zoning plan meant to follow the guidelines, though according to the state's tracking page, the town had not officially submitted the plan as of Friday. Of the 27 other towns given the July deadline, Duxbury, Georgetown, Ipswich, Middleborough, Millbury, North Reading, Raynham, Rowley, Saugus and Wenham have all approved zoning meant to satisfy the law's requirements. In addition, Norton has been deemed fully compliant. Last month, lawsuits against the state brought by nine of the remaining towns were dismissed when a Plymouth Superior Court judge ruled that the law was not an 'unfunded mandate.' Under the Local Mandate Law, since 1980, any state law or regulation that would impose more than 'incidental administration expenses' on local governments must either be fully funded by the state or be conditional on local acceptance of the rule. In February, State Auditor Diana DiZoglio's office released an opinion that the MBTA Communities Act fell under this law. Though DiZoglio's ruling was nonbinding, it prompted the suits from Duxbury, Hanson, Holden, Marshfield, Middleton, Wenham, Weston and Wrentham, along with another by residents of Hamilton. 'The Superior Court confirmed what has long been clear: a state law requiring multi-family housing districts in communities served by public transportation, but leaving the details and location of those districts to the municipalities themselves, permissibly addresses our housing shortage while still preserving substantial local discretion,' Campbell said after the suits were dismissed. Since then, the Wrentham Select Board and town manager Michael King have indicated they intend to follow the law, though the town has not yet passed new zoning. 'Having pursued the case to a logical conclusion, the Select Board considered all various options, including appeal, and has determined that the most prudent and cost-effective option is to move forward while working proactively to manage future growth in a way that reflects the community's values and priorities,' King and the Select Board wrote in a post on the town website. 'This decision also ensures that Wrentham remains eligible for key state funding opportunities that support infrastructure, public safety, education and other services critical to residents' quality of life.' Weston is also working on zoning, with the Select Board writing in a letter to Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities on Wednesday that they were 'diligently working to achieve compliance' and intended to bring a proposal to town meeting in October. But still, other towns are holding out. Town meeting voters in Dracut, East Bridgewater, Freetown and Wilmington all turned down zoning proposals drafted to follow the law, while in Tewksbury, the town's Planning Board voted not to even bring a zoning proposal to a town meeting vote. In Winthrop, the Town Council failed to support the Planning Board's proposal with a split 4-4 vote on June 17. As recently as Tuesday, voters in Marblehead narrowly overturned the new zoning map that had already been approved in a town-wide referendum, with 52% voting against it, according to unofficial results. 'This is not the outcome we were hoping for today, but our work is not finished,' Marblehead Housing Coalition Chair Peirce Law told the Marblehead Current. 'Long-term noncompliance is not an option, and we fear for the repercussions that Marblehead may soon face.' Wrentham won't fight court ruling; will comply with MBTA Communities Act Judge throws out 'unfunded mandate' lawsuits over MBTA Communities Act Zoning changes under MBTA Communities Act spurs 3K new houses - so far Read the original article on MassLive.
Boston Globe
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
After multi-year saga, Milton finally approves a state housing plan
Tuesday night's vote may finally be the end of a saga that has flamed political tensions in Milton since 2023, and, MBTA Communities supporters say, could mark a broader shift in the fight over the law. A year ago, 'Tonight's decision by Milton Town Meeting to advance a compliant plan is a strong signal that we are prepared to put the rancor of the past behind us and become a part of the solution to the housing crisis,' said Select Board Chair Ben Zoll, who has been pushing for the town to comply. Related : Advertisement Still, it was not without controversy. The plan passed at a special Town Meeting that went on for two nights, during which some community members gave impassioned speeches against complying with the law, and argued the town should continue its 'In every neighborhood, I meet people who tell me they saved up everything they had to move out of the city to live in Milton,' Denny Swenson, who helped organize the referendum in 2024, said at the meeting Tuesday. 'Many left the city and stressed the importance and value they place on having their own driveway, that tree by the sidewalk, that stitch of land in their backyard. They paid dearly to live in their neighborhood that is zoned as it is. This zoning article is changing that on them.' Denny Swenson campaigns against Milton's MBTA Communities plan ahead of a referendum in February of 2024. Erin Clark/Globe Staff There may still be one last push from opponents. Under the town charter, residents can trigger a referendum on a Town Meeting vote if they collect signatures from at least 5 percent of Milton's registered voters. There have been rumblings that opponents of the plan may try to force another town wide vote. The long fight over MBTA Communities in Milton began in 2023, when the Select Board passed a state-mandated zoning plan that would theoretically make room for 2,461 housing units. The plan was controversial, and after it The lead up to that vote in February 2024 was filled with intense campaigning, and some 54 percent of the 9,500 voters in the referendum Advertisement Milton's deadline to meet state guidelines was the end of 2023, so when voters rejected the plan, Attorney General Andrea Campbell In January, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled Related : After the ruling, the town's planning board designed two plans for Town Meeting to consider, one that would comply with the town's full requirement as a rapid transit community, and another, smaller plan designed for a scenario in which the town is reclassified to a different community category, and therefore a smaller housing requirement. It was the bigger plan that passed Tuesday night, while the smaller option was sent back to the planning board for further study. 'We have a housing crisis, there's no question,' said Anthony Cichello, a Town Meeting member. 'The MBTA Communities Act is an effort by the Legislature to try to address that housing issue. Its not going to fix the problem. But its a step, and its the law.' Advertisement The vote puts Milton with a growing list of communities that have fiercely debated, yet ultimately passed, an MBTA Communities plan. More than 75 percent of the 175 cities and towns covered by the law have enacted zoning plans intended to comply with it, state officials have said, and Earlier this month, a Superior Court judge Andrew Brinker can be reached at
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge turns back challenge to MBTA housing law
BOSTON (SHNS) – A Superior Court judge on Friday tossed a lawsuit brought by nine municipalities challenging the MBTA Communities Act, ruling that the controversial zoning-reform law is not an unfunded mandate. Plymouth Superior Court Justice Mark Gildea granted the Healey administration's motion to dismiss the latest challenges to the 2021 law, which supporters see as a key tool to spur development of much-needed housing in more than 170 eastern Massachusetts cities and towns. Marshfield, Middleton, Hanson, Holden, Hamilton, Duxbury, Wenham, Weston and Wrentham had each filed legal complaints against the law in recent months, contending that it should not be enforceable after the Division of Local Mandates in Auditor Diana DiZoglio's office deemed the measure an unfunded mandate. Plaintiffs said allowing multifamily housing by right in at least one reasonably sized zone as the law requires could force them to absorb significant new infrastructure costs with no state assistance. But Gildea concluded the possible costs are 'indirect,' which means the law is not an unfunded mandate, and that grant programs are available to help shoulder some of the burden. 'Even if [the law] was an unfunded mandate, the Municipalities have failed to allege sufficient facts concerning any anticipated amounts associated with future infrastructure costs beyond a speculative level,' Gildea wrote in a 40-page decision. Some of the plaintiffs laid out their own issues with the law as well, such as Middleton arguing that it should not be classified as an MBTA community and therefore should not be subject to the mandatory zoning reforms. Jason Talerman, an attorney for some of the towns, said in an email that plaintiffs are 'disappointed with the result and find the decision to be contrary to applicable law.' Most of the 177 communities subject to the law have approved new zoning reforms, putting them in compliance, according to the Healey administration. In January, the Supreme Judicial Court upheld the MBTA Communities Act as a constitutional law the attorney general can enforce with legal action. The high court required the Healey administration to redo the regulation-setting process. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
