Tackling our housing crisis isn’t just an ‘all of government’ task—it’s ‘all of Massachusetts.’ Every community, stakeholder, and sector has a role to play. This plan documents the crisis in every dimension and lays out strategies for addressing it. Many of those strategies are underway and have broad support. Others are more complex and controversial, involving many stakeholders with different interests.
A top-down approach will not be successful in achieving the state’s need for more housing as it requires collective efforts across municipalities and entities that encompass our housing ecosystem. EOHLC encourages communities to conduct housing production plans and other planning efforts, to better meet the needs of their residents. Until now, Massachusetts has lacked a comprehensive housing plan that reflects the various housing needs across our State. This plan is the first step in ensuring Massachusetts recognizes the specific regional needs and challenges to ensuring adequate housing. The intention of this plan is to set the stage for local, regional, and statewide actions. This requires an aligned housing ecosystem that can coalesce around the following strategies:
Strengthen partnerships with municipalities to create an environment that welcomes new housing while mitigating local impacts
The housing crisis affects every corner of the Commonwealth and every individual city and town. EOHLC provides technical assistance for planning for future housing growth and preservation that contributes to regional housing needs. This development will be unlocked through investments in infrastructure and resource development. EOHLC and its partners across state government will also reward and amplify communities that are welcoming housing development and affordable housing preservation. State funding across housing, transportation, climate, infrastructure and other investments should be coordinated and targeted to municipalities taking action to help solve the Commonwelath’s housing challenges.
Conduct joint planning, research, evaluation, and engagement to develop a shared understanding of problems and solutions
EOHLC is already working to track the impact of the Affordable Homes Act and the MBTA Communities Law and will use this information with stakeholders to evaluate the outcomes of policies and investments. Additional work is needed to fully document basic information such as municipal zoning, development proposals, and the local impacts of new housing. EOHLC looks forward to working together with municipalities, academic partners, and other stakeholders to implement a data and research agenda that provides a more complete picture of the Massachusetts housing market.
Ensure Massachusetts housing stock and production goals are aligned with state transportation, climate and land use goals
EOHLC will continue to prioritize smart growth, transit-oriented housing development in areas with sufficient access to existing water and energy resources. Through the full implementation of the MBTA Communities Act, local communities will enable the development of thousands of housing units that have direct access to public transit and livable downtown centers.
Advance Environmental Justice and Fair Housing
This plan advocates for building affordable, healthy and sustainable housing in historically disadvantaged areas while engaging Environmental Justice populations to ensure new housing developments provide relief from historical burdensome environmental and health disparities. EOHLC’s new Office of Fair Housing, created through the Affordable Homes Act, will examine key issues related to fair housing and environmental justice; and will work with the Attorney General’s office and other stakeholders to eliminate housing discrimination and injustice of all types.
Coordinate with private sector employers and partners to create a competitive environment for the Massachusetts workforce
Economic competitiveness and strong housing market are woven together and require each other to thrive. Business owners and industry leaders have prioritized housing as a critical focus given the overlap and reliance on housing availability and business growth. EOHLC will continue working to bring business industry voices to the table promoting housing development. Bringing more housing options of different size and type onto the market will create space for employees and their families to stay in the Commonwealth and thrive.