New Massachusetts mortgage program encourages mass transit use by offering riders of commuter bus, boat, and rail services to qualify for home loans with no down payment.
"The unusual partnership between the MBTA, MassHousing and 21 area banks aims to 'encourage and reward mass transit use' while promoting home ownership among people who have been unable to save for a down payment, said Thomas R. Gleason, executive director of the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency. Gleason said the program is modeled on similar ones in other states that encourage people to live near mass transit to help reduce urban sprawl, traffic congestion and air pollution."
Thanks to Jim Barrows
FULL STORY: Leave car at home, get new home: Mortgages focus on mass transit user
Seattle Legalizes Co-Living
A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.
NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project
Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.
The City of Broken Sidewalks
Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?
Study: Automobile Dependency Reduces Life Satisfaction
Automobile dependency has negative implications for wellbeing. This academic study finds that relying on a car for more than 50 percent of out-of-home travel is associated with significant reductions in life satisfaction.
San Diego School District Could Accelerate Workforce Housing Program
A proposal to build housing on five district-owned properties could yield 1,000 housing units for low- and moderate-income district employees.
Denver Transit Board Approves $1.2 Billion Budget
The 2025 budget for the Regional Transportation District is the largest in the agency’s 55-year history.
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.
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Village of Glen Ellyn
City of Laramie
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners