In January 2021, the Massachusetts Legislature adopted an Economic Development Bond Bill (H.5250) that made long-overdue changes to the state’s Zoning Act. The “Housing Choices” sections of the bill made it easier for municipalities to adopt pro-housing zoning changes, discourage meritless anti-housing lawsuits, and require each municipality in the MBTA district to zone for multifamily […]
Guidance for MBTA Communities on By-Right Multifamily Zoning The recently-passed Economic Development Bond Bill included a number of provisions relating to Housing Choices. One topic that has been the subject of a number of questions relates to a change to Chapter 40A, which requires that all “MBTA communities” have a zoning district that allows by-right […]
MAPC Statement on the Economic Development Bond Bill For immediate release: Friday, January 15, 2021 The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is glad to see that Governor Charlie Baker signed the $626 million Economic Development Bond Bill. In particular, we applaud the Governor and Legislature’s work on advancing Housing Choices, which represents a meaningful first […]