Press Release: 6/2/2025
75 Percent of MBTA Communities Approve Multifamily Districts to Create More Housing
133 of the 177 communities have adopted multifamily zoning as a result of the law, with 4,000 new housing units in the pipeline; After collaboration with Healey-Driscoll Administration, Milton is now interim compliant
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
5/30/2025
MEDIA CONTACT
Karissa Hand, Press Secretary
Phone
Call Karissa Hand, Press Secretary at 617-725-4025
BOSTON — As of this week, 75 percent of the 177 communities with an MBTA station or near a community with a station have approved multifamily zoning in compliance with the MBTA Communities Law. Now totaling 133 cities and towns, the zoning changes by these municipalities are expected to open up new multifamily housing that will address the state’s housing shortage and help lower costs across Massachusetts. The 35 communities designated as adjacent small towns have until December 31 to submit new zoning to the state.
More than 4,000 new homes are already being built under MBTA Communities zoning with more on the way, as a wave of additional communities successfully approved zoning measures at town meetings this spring. The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities continues to review district applications and has determined 91 to be compliant or conditionally compliant.
This momentum is due to the strong collaboration between the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) and cities and towns to help them comply with the law. For example, after months of hard work and partnership, the town of Milton recently submitted an action plan in line with Rapid Transit Community requirements that was approved by EOHLC and brought them into interim compliance with the law. Additionally, Gloucester was recently deemed compliant after working with the administration to validate their plans, and the state provided technical support to Ipswich in its successful effort to adopt zoning.
"Cities and towns across the state are saying yes to housing, which will lower costs and create more opportunities for families to stay in the communities where they work or are raising their kids," said Governor Maura Healey. "The fact that 75 percent of communities are in compliance with the law is a testament to the hard work of our team at the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to work directly with cities and towns to help them address their unique needs and put forward successful plans. In particular, I want to congratulate Secretary Augustus and his team and town officials in Milton for their efforts to reach interim compliance. We look forward to this continued partnership with communities as we work together to build more reasonably-priced housing across the state.”
"We're proud to support our municipalities as they work to successfully implement the MBTA Communities Law, which is why we've reduced barriers with critical resources like the MBTA Communities Catalyst Fund," said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. "This law is working and has already added 4,000 units to our housing pipeline. We're excited to continue this momentum and lower housing costs for Massachusetts residents."
"Massachusetts communities are full of hard-working people trying to build their futures here, which is why the Healey-Driscoll Administration is focused on creating and preserving housing that is stable, affordable and accessible to everyone," said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. "The MBTA Communities law is working and will continue to put cities and towns across the commonwealth on a path to providing the housing their residents want and need."
Earlier this year, the Healey-Driscoll Administration awarded $8.7 million in MBTA Communities Catalyst Funds to 10 fully compliant MBTA communities. The fund was established to recognize the progress cities and towns across the state are making to develop housing in the new multifamily districts and provide competitive grant awards to support housing creation. The funds can be utilized to improve or expand critical infrastructure or to acquire land for development.
Local zoning barriers are one contributing factor to high housing costs in Massachusetts, limiting the supply of new housing relative to demand and increasing overall housing costs. In a MassINC poll released earlier this month, an overwhelming consensus – 95 percent of respondents – said the cost of renting or buying a home in Massachusetts is a problem. The majority of those polled supported building more housing in their own neighborhoods and supported policy initiatives that make it easier to build more housing and offer a greater variety of housing types across the state.
MBTA Communities Law Background
The MBTA Communities Law (Section 3A of the state Zoning Act) was passed near-unanimously by a bipartisan Legislature in 2021 with the intention of removing exclusionary zoning barriers to housing production. The law requires 177 communities that are served by an MBTA station or are near a community with a station to create a zoning district of reasonable size in which multifamily housing is permitted as of right. It does not require development.
Multifamily district design is a locally controlled process. More information on community categories, deadlines, and zoning requirements can be found here.