CHAPA's Statement on One Hundred Compliant MBTA Communities

As of November 20, 2024, over 100 Massachusetts cities and towns have passed zoning districts to comply with the MBTA Communities Law. This innovative law aims to address Massachusetts’ housing shortage by allowing modest types of housing, like duplexes, triple-deckers, and low-rise apartment buildings, near transit. These newly approved multifamily zoning districts will bring us closer to the 200,000 homes that Massachusetts needs by 2030 to stabilize housing prices. Many communities took their commitment to housing one step further by using this new zoning to incorporate affordability as well.

“Communities across Massachusetts are overwhelmingly embracing the MBTA Communities Act. They understand that every municipality has a collective responsibility to ensure we are part of fostering a healthy and vibrant Commonwealth,” said Rachel Heller, Chief Executive Officer of the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA). “Massachusetts needs more homes that families, older adults, and the local workforce can afford, and these MBTA Communities are doing their part by allowing the creation of more of these types of homes.”

For decades, strict local zoning policies limited opportunities for people by preventing the construction of anything other than single-family homes on large lots. With land values skyrocketing, these policies create barriers that leave some people out of the housing market entirely. Through coalition building, broad outreach, and inclusive community engagement, these 100 MBTA Communities have taken meaningful action to address those barriers.

“The MBTA Communities Act is succeeding at the local level because municipal leaders know that more housing is crucial to the future success of the Commonwealth,” said Lily Linke, CHAPA’s MBTA Communities Engagement Senior Manager. “The vast majority of cities and towns are doing their part in allowing the homes that our residents need, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because they recognize that when our neighbors thrive, we all thrive.”

CHAPA’s MBTA Communities technical assistance program has supported 45 of these communities by educating residents about the law, consulting with local planners on community engagement, and supporting local pro-housing coalitions as they worked to pass new zoning. 90% of communities that participated in CHAPA’s program have approved an MBTA Communities District, compared to an 83% passage rate overall.

CHAPA congratulates the planners, advocates, elected officials, consultants, and everyone who helped make this milestone possible. We look forward to continuing our work across Massachusetts to encourage communities to embrace and adopt multi-family zoning.

When we say yes to more housing in our communities, we are closer to the Massachusetts we all want and deserve - where everyone has access to a safe, healthy, and affordable home in the community of their choice.