Cities with commuter rail stops will have to accommodate higher-density housing or risk losing access to state resources and housing grants.

Massachusetts' latest economic development bill includes a rule that requires municipalities served by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter trains to permit denser housing in at least one district within a half mile of a station. The measure is meant to create more housing near transit stations and alleviate greater Boston's growing housing crisis, according to an article Tim Logan. "The biggest barrier to building in Massachusetts is zoning and the lack of zoning for multifamily housing. People want walkable neighborhoods, and this will help us produce them," said Rachel Heller, CEO of the advocacy group Citizens Housing and Planning Association, in the article.
Some cities along the MBTA's rail lines with little or no land zoned for higher density protested the measure, insisting that local zoning decisions should stay in local hands. "Mandates from Beacon Hill are no way to build," said Massachusetts Municipal Association executive director Geoff Beckwith, adding: "New laws won’t work if they strip average citizens of their role and voice." State Senator Joe Boncore argues that the rule is a fair trade for access to state infrastructure and grants: "Suburban towns benefit from being on the regional transportation network, he said, so they should contribute to tackling the regional housing shortage."
The new rule is part of a package that includes "Housing Choice," another proposal aimed at reducing barriers to building denser housing by reducing the percent of votes needed to pass zoning changes.
FULL STORY: New law would require high density housing near T stations

America’s Best New Bike Lanes
PeopleForBikes highlights some of the most exciting new bike infrastructure projects completed in 2022.

Conspiracy Theorists Discover the 15-Minute City
USA Today debunks the false claim that the United Nations’ call for enabling 15-minute cities is a coded plan to institute ‘climate change lockdowns.’

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.

Washington Could Legalize Single-Staircase Buildings
Supporters of ‘point access blocks,’ which are common in Europe and other parts of the world, say the design maximizes living space and lowers the cost of construction.

San Francisco Housing Plan Gets State Approval
The city cleared a major hurdle as its housing plan, which paves the way for 82,000 new homes by 2030, is certified by the state.

Rail Transit Plans Would Connect L.A.’s South Bay to the Regional Rail System
Two new transit extensions promise several new routes for South Bay residents to access the Los Angeles region’s transit system.
City of Grand Prairie
City of Grand Prairie
West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Hercules
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.