Dozens of municipalities are expected to debate new multifamily zoning rules this fall under the state’s MBTA Communities Law.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Judicial Court is reviewing a legal case that could prove key to enforcing the ambitious and controversial law.With all the melees under way, it’s no wonder that one of the state’s leading housing advocacy groups turned to the business community for reinforcements.
The Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association lined up 11 prominent business and nonprofit leaders as co-chairs of its new “Our Massachusetts” campaign. Their goal: helping yes-in-my-backyard folks get more housing approved at the local level. The current focus is on MBTA Communities, which requires towns served by the MBTA to zone for a certain amount of multifamily housing. But CHAPA chief executive Rachel Heller said the campaign will continue long after these rules get approved. Changing local zoning, after all, is just a step toward CHAPA’s ultimate goal of seeing 200,000 homes across income levels built by 2030.
