Massachusetts

Massachusetts State Capitol

Massachusetts Pushing Statewide Zoning Reforms With Steeper Penalties for Non-Compliance

Massachusetts is one of the states in the nation requiring local governments to make more space for multi-family housing. Not all local governments are willing to comply, however.

August 21, 2023 - Mass Live

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

White geothermal heat pump installed on the side of a house

Geothermal Pilot Program Breaks Ground in Massachusetts

A first-of-its-kind’ program will connect roughly 40 residential and commercial buildings to an underground geothermal network that will replace fossil fuel-powered furnaces.

June 15, 2023 - Fast Company

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

Route 6 highway in Massachusetts with fall trees on either side

Provincetown Proposes New Car-Free Trail

An underused highway could become a pedestrian and bike trail connecting the Cape Cod town to its beaches.

June 4, 2023 - Streetsblog Mass

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

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

Aerial view of MBTA commuter rail station in Concord, Massachusetts among green trees

Massachusetts Zoning Reform Law Reaches First Deadline

Cities and towns had until January 31 to submit their draft plans for rezoning areas near transit stations to comply with a new state law.

February 1, 2023 - Streetsblog Mass

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

MBTA Green Line

Explaining Massachusetts’ New TOD Law

The MBTA Communities law sets ‘minimum multi-family unit capacity’ for communities located near transit stations to boost higher-density housing development in transit-rich areas.

January 6, 2023 - CommonWealth Magazine

Person on bike wearing backpack with small bus and Boston buildings in background

Massachusetts Passes New Road Safety Law

The legislation requires cars to keep four feet away from cyclists and other “vulnerable” road users and eases the process for lowering speed limits on state-owned roads.

January 4, 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

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