- Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
BOSTON — With spring town meetings underway in many Massachusetts communities, more than 40 cities and towns have now passed multi-family zoning districts intended to comply with the state’s MBTA Communities law.
The wave of new multi-family zoning districts arrives as nearly two dozen additional communities will vote on zoning created to meet the law at town meetings in May.
“Massachusetts has a shortage of housing that has driven up costs for residents across the state, and every community has a role to play in addressing this challenge,” said Governor Healey. “We applaud the cities and towns that have already adopted multi-family zoning districts, which will have long-term benefits for their communities, our economy and the entire state. Our administration remains committed to partnering with all communities to help them come into compliance with this transformative law.”
“The MBTA Communities law is just one piece of our administration’s strategy to increase our housing supply and lower costs,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “Allowing for zoning of multi-family housing means a stronger and more stable housing future for Massachusetts.”
As of today, 44 communities have passed multi-family zoning intended to comply with the law. Once communities pass zoning, they are required to submit their plans to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities for review.
“The overwhelming majority of communities are doing what they can to comply with the law,” said Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities Ed Augustus. “We are proud to see communities adopt zoning that is intended for compliance with the MBTA Communities Law. For far too long, families have been boxed out of our more desirable neighborhoods. And this law will help us create livable communities with housing options for every income.”
The law was designed to help alleviate the state’s housing crisis by permitting the building of multifamily zoning in areas that have access to public transportation. It was signed into law in January 2021 after receiving unanimous support in the Senate and overwhelming support in the House.
Twenty-five communities have submitted plans to the state for review and three – Arlington, Lexington and Salem – have been approved by the state.
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities is committed to working with every community to ensure compliance with the MBTA Communities Law. To date, the state and our partners have given out more than $6 million in technical assistance to communities to help them develop districts to comply with the law.
The MBTA Communities law requires 177 cities and towns to establish at least one district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right. Communities have considerable discretion as to the creation of the districts, providing that they are within a half mile from a transit station, when applicable, and that the districts do not impose age restrictions.
The communities that have adopted multi-family zoning intended for compliance with the MBTA Communities Law are Abington, Andover, Arlington, Bedford, Braintree, Bridgewater, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Concord, Danvers, Dedham, Essex, Everett, Franklin, Grafton, Harvard, Haverhill, Hingham, Lexington, Lincoln, Lowell, Malden, Medford, Newbury, Newton, Northborough, Northbridge, Norwood, Pembroke, Plymouth, Quincy, Revere, Rockport, Salem, Scituate, Somerville, Stoneham, Taunton, Wareham, Wellesley, Westborough, Westford and Winchester.
For more information about the MBTA Communities Law: mass.gov/MBTACommunities
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