Massachusetts wants to require affordable housing developers to pay construction workers a "prevailing wage", but with costs already totaling $200,000 or more per unit, the proposal may ultimately decrease the amount of affordable housing built.
"Because wages set under prevailing wage provisions are substantially higher than non-union rates, the Senate proposal would dramatically increase the cost of affordable housing. A 2007 study by the Massachusetts Housing Partnership found that projects in cities that impose this requirement are 34-to-40 percent more costly than projects not subject to the wage rule. This means that if the bill becomes law, the state will either have to raise taxes, cut spending in other areas, or build less housing.
Noting the former outcome is unlikely and the latter two are unappealing, housing advocates generally oppose the prevailing wage provision. Union advocates, on the other hand, argue that is unfair to pit the needs of workers against the need for affordable housing.
Lost in this debate is the fact that such housing in Massachusetts already is expensive. This is not a new finding. A decade ago, Denise DiPasquale and Jean Cummings of the Housing Economics consulting firm found that the costs for affordable housing projects in Boston were more than $100,000 per unit, greater than those in any metropolitan area except Los Angeles and Philadelphia."
FULL STORY: The high cost of affordable housing

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.

Paris Voters Approve More Car-Free Streets
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says the city will develop a plan to close 500 streets to car traffic and add new bike and pedestrian infrastructure after a referendum on the proposal passed with 66 percent of the vote.
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