Massachusetts
Boston to Begin Zoning Code Update, Mayor Announces
It’s been nearly 60 years, but the city of Boston is finally ready to do a comprehensive rewrite of its zoning code.
Massachusetts Pushing Statewide Zoning Reforms With Steeper Penalties for Non-Compliance
Massachusetts is one of the states in the nation requiring local governments to make more space for multi-family housing. Not all local governments are willing to comply, however.
Boston Grant Program Supports Greener Affordable Housing
The city wants to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Boston Eliminates Fossil Fuels in New City-Owned Buildings
Mayor Michelle Wu said the new rule will help boost demand for green materials and create new jobs in the green building sector.
Geothermal Pilot Program Breaks Ground in Massachusetts
A first-of-its-kind’ program will connect roughly 40 residential and commercial buildings to an underground geothermal network that will replace fossil fuel-powered furnaces.
Boston Transit Ridership Grows Steadily
Ridership on the region’s commuter rail reached 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels in March.
Provincetown Proposes New Car-Free Trail
An underused highway could become a pedestrian and bike trail connecting the Cape Cod town to its beaches.
Boston Launches ‘Safety Surge’ Traffic Calming Initiative
The new program targets neighborhood streets for safety improvements such as speed humps and intersection redesigns.
Boston Bus Garage Delays Jeopardize Electrification Goals
With garage construction behind schedule and over budget, it appears doubtful that the MBTA will be able to convert its fleet to electric buses by its self-imposed deadlines.
Op-Ed: Boston Needs Zoning Reform Now
The Boston Globe’s editorial board calls on the city to take on citywide zoning reform to boost housing construction and revitalize areas that have faced historical underinvestment.
How Ownership Structure Impacts Eviction Rates
A new study from Boston reveals that large landlords, who are less likely to live near their tenants, execute far more eviction filings than smaller property owners.
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.
Assessing Transit Equity in Boston
The Transit Equity Dashboard highlights stark disparities in access to jobs, healthcare, and other essential services between Boston neighborhoods.
Boston Mayor Fights for Rent Control
Mayor Wu says putting a rent control policy in place is just one of several ways the city plans to improve housing affordability and prevent evictions, but the proposal requires state approval.
Explaining Massachusetts’ New TOD Law
The MBTA Communities law sets ‘minimum multi-family unit capacity’ for communities located near transit stations to boost higher-density housing development in transit-rich areas.
Massachusetts Passes New Road Safety Law
The legislation requires cars to keep four feet away from cyclists and other “vulnerable” road users and eases the process for lowering speed limits on state-owned roads.
How One Massachusetts Governor Rejected Car-Oriented Development
Fifty years ago, Governor Francis W. Sargent nixed a proposed expressway and set in motion a transportation future for Boston that would be remarkably different from many other U.S. cities.
MBTA Announces Improved Bus Frequencies, Redesigned Route Map in Boston
A large system redesign is nearing implementation in and around Boston, but the new system map will require more drivers than the MBTA currently employs.
Tracking Boston’s Emissions Reduction Progress
The Boston Foundation published the “Inaugural Boston Climate Progress Report” earlier this month. Other U.S. cities should follow their lead.
Housing Out of Reach as Costs and Mortgage Rates Rise
The monthly costs—mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance—of a typical low-end home in the Boston region has reached $3,600 a month. A typical home costs $5,000 a month.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
