Greater Boston Mayors Announce Regional Housing Partnership - December 6, 2017

On December 5, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and representatives of the 14 cities and town (Boston, Braintree, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Newton, Quincy, Revere, Somerville and Winthrop) announced the creation of a new regional housing partnership to address the needs of Greater Boston’s growing population.

The partnership will establish a regional housing production goal and strategies to create housing in a variety of sizes, locate housing near transit and in walkable areas; use designs that increase physical accessibility, reduce evictions, eliminate unfair rental practices, mitigate displacement, create permanent housing for the homeless, ensure safe, stable housing and advance equitable access to housing opportunity.  The group will also recommend changes to zoning, local policies, funding calculations for state aid toward public schools, and other tools each city and town can use to help address the housing affordability crisis together.