Boston

Boston city skyline

Boston Grant Program Supports Greener Affordable Housing

The city wants to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

August 17, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Looking up at modernist/brutalist Boston City Hall building bathed in golden hour light

Boston Eliminates Fossil Fuels in New City-Owned Buildings

Mayor Michelle Wu said the new rule will help boost demand for green materials and create new jobs in the green building sector.

August 9, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Silver commuter train with purple stripe in Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Transit Ridership Grows Steadily

Ridership on the region’s commuter rail reached 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels in March.

June 13, 2023 - CommonWealth Magazine

Striped crosswalk with yellow pedestrian crossing signs and grassy pedestrian island in Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Launches ‘Safety Surge’ Traffic Calming Initiative

The new program targets neighborhood streets for safety improvements such as speed humps and intersection redesigns.

May 24, 2023 - Streetsblog Mass

Red bridge with arches over highway with white letters spanning bridge "Peachtree Corners" near Atlanta, Georgia

The Changing Geography of Housing Segregation

Racial segregation in housing is growing and shifting as affluent enclaves form new incorporated cities and options for affordable housing in cities become more limited.

May 11, 2023 - Joint Center for Housing Studies

White and yellow MBTA bus in Cambridge, Massachusetts with brick buildings in background

Boston Bus Garage Delays Jeopardize Electrification Goals

With garage construction behind schedule and over budget, it appears doubtful that the MBTA will be able to convert its fleet to electric buses by its self-imposed deadlines.

April 5, 2023 - The Boston Globe

Quincy Market

Op-Ed: Boston Needs Zoning Reform Now

The Boston Globe’s editorial board calls on the city to take on citywide zoning reform to boost housing construction and revitalize areas that have faced historical underinvestment.

February 21, 2023 - The Boston Globe

View of Boston from Bunker Hill with statue in foreground

How Ownership Structure Impacts Eviction Rates

A new study from Boston reveals that large landlords, who are less likely to live near their tenants, execute far more eviction filings than smaller property owners.

February 5, 2023 - Housing Matters

Passengers on Boston subway platform with blurred speeding train passing by

Assessing Transit Equity in Boston

The Transit Equity Dashboard highlights stark disparities in access to jobs, healthcare, and other essential services between Boston neighborhoods.

January 29, 2023 - TransitCenter

Quincy Market

Boston Mayor Fights for Rent Control

Mayor Wu says putting a rent control policy in place is just one of several ways the city plans to improve housing affordability and prevent evictions, but the proposal requires state approval.

January 24, 2023 - The Boston Globe

Old church and modern glass building in downtown Boston, Massachusetts

How One Massachusetts Governor Rejected Car-Oriented Development

Fifty years ago, Governor Francis W. Sargent nixed a proposed expressway and set in motion a transportation future for Boston that would be remarkably different from many other U.S. cities.

December 7, 2022 - The Boston Globe

MBTA Bus

MBTA Announces Improved Bus Frequencies, Redesigned Route Map in Boston

A large system redesign is nearing implementation in and around Boston, but the new system map will require more drivers than the MBTA currently employs.

November 21, 2022 - The Boston Globe

Bunker Hill, Charlestown

Tracking Boston’s Emissions Reduction Progress

The Boston Foundation published the “Inaugural Boston Climate Progress Report” earlier this month. Other U.S. cities should follow their lead.

November 10, 2022 - The Boston Foundation

White house with For Sale and SOLD sign

Housing Out of Reach as Costs and Mortgage Rates Rise

The monthly costs—mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance—of a typical low-end home in the Boston region has reached $3,600 a month. A typical home costs $5,000 a month.

November 7, 2022 - Boston Indicators

Boston street with four-story bricks buildings

Boston Unveils Green Infrastructure Plan

The city will start by redesigning curb extensions to incorporate elements that improve flood prevention and stormwater management.

October 30, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Boston Aerial

Boston ‘Mansion Tax’ Could Raise Millions for Affordable Housing

A tax on luxury property sales is stalled in the state legislature, causing the city to miss out on millions in potential tax revenue.

October 25, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Close-up  of wooden beehive with bees flying in and out

A Sweet Deal: Zoning for Honeybees

A Boston ordinance could make it easier for residents to take up urban beekeeping.

October 10, 2022 - The Boston Globe

Orange Line platform with woman waiting with suitcases, Boston, Massachusetts

Lessons from Boston’s Orange Line Shutdown

A month-long shutdown of one of the region’s busiest lines prompted the city to experiment with temporary bus lanes, reoriented streets, and free bikeshare.

October 6, 2022 - Governing

Aerial view of East Boston shoreline

Study To Assess Climate Mitigation Options for East Boston

A grant-funded research team will evaluate solutions for shoring up the area’s flood protection strategies and improving access and service on the Blue Line for local residents.

October 4, 2022 - Streetsblog Massachusetts

Brutalism

Zoning Board of Appeals Overhaul One Step Toward Approval Process Reform in Boston

Mayor Wu recently overhauled the makeup of Boston’s Zoning Board of Appeals, but bigger changes will be necessary to depoliticize the city’s development approvals process.

October 2, 2022 - The Boston Globe

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