Metro Boston Mayors Call for Increased Housing Production to Sustain Economic Growth

On October 2, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone, and 15 communities that form the Metro Mayors Coalition announced a new housing production goal for the coalition's region to meet the demands of a robust regional economy and a growing population in Boston and surrounding areas.

The mayors announced a target to create 185,000 new units of housing across the region by 2030. The regional production goal was announced along with a set of 10 principles and best practices to guide the commitment toward meaningful action. 

Since 2010, the 15 cities and towns of the Metro Mayors Coalition have added nearly 110,000 residents and 148,000 new jobs, while permitting only 32,500 new housing units. Intense competition for the limited available housing drives up prices, makes it difficult for people to find homes they can afford, and increases the potential for displacement.

The Metro Mayors Coalition includes Arlington, Boston, Braintree, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Newton, Quincy, Revere, Somerville and Winthrop.

With this new regional effort, the Metro Mayors agreed to 10 Guiding Principles:

• Stakeholder and municipal engagement. Broad, inclusive outreach to local officials and residents, to understand the problem
• Housing production, both rental and homeownership.
• Housing preservation. This includes protecting existing affordable units and repairing older and smaller homes to minimize tear-downs.
• Housing affordability, for low- moderate- and middle-income households.
• Housing stability. Addressing extreme cost burdens, minimize the risk of displacement, reducing evictions, eliminating unfair rental practices, creating permanent housing for homeless residents and ensuring safety and stability.
• Fair housing. Abolishing discrimination against tenants and buyers and advancing equitable access to housing opportunities for everyone.
• Housing diversity, at a range of scales and a unit mix inclusive of multiple bedrooms.
• Housing design that incorporates features accessible to all ages and abilities.
• Housing location, so residents can access areas that offer open space and activities as part of a community.
• Complete neighborhoods. Approach housing as a holistic part of community building, which includes a mix of land uses and access to open space, and a range of activity available through the day and evening.

View the new task force website, which outlines the production goals and strategies to get there, at http://housingtaskforce.mapc.org/.