Last week, we met with a group of about 30 young millennials living in and around Boston to talk Gateway City TOD. The forum was the Boston Chamber of Commerce’s CityAwake Summit, a convening that engages young professionals in dialogue about the most pressing issues facing the region. We screened our Promise and Potential of Gateway City TOD video, and then partnered up with the MassINC Polling Group to get reactions through focus group-style dialogue.

To set the stage just a bit more, it’s fair to say that the group was diverse, both demographically and geographically. Bostonians did make up a large share, but about one-quarter of these young professionals lived beyond 128.

For these younger residents, the order of concern is definitely housing crisis first/congestion second. They simply cannot afford to live here. One young man was paying $1,700 a month for a studio apartment in Weymouth. A young woman said she worked out a side deal to sleep in a space above her office in Plymouth. With many of these millennials living far removed from transit, an unusually high percentage were forced to drive to work. Nobody in the room viewed this mode of travel as the preferred option.

Young people gather at CityAwake

Considering how many were living further out, it was surprising that there was only one person in the group who said she took the commuter rail to work. When asked why they weren’t riding, they made it abundantly clear that the cost of a commuter rail pass was the biggest barrier. A few also mentioned unreliability (the regular rider complained about “slippery rails” delaying her commute by 30 minutes that very day). Those looking to get in and out of the city for social occasions expressed concerns about safety, both at Back Bay station in the evenings and also on long empty trains with few personnel.

When asked about choosing Gateway Cities as a place to live, it got interesting. They were all 100 percent open to the idea. It sounded like these millennials want apartments with higher-end finishes. (They’ve had enough of living with multiple roommates in run-down apartments. At this stage, they feel like they should be in a position to do better). This certainly comports with efforts to use tools like the oversubscribed Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) to create an attractive housing product that doesn’t currently exist in many Gateway City neighborhoods near transit.

At the same time, it was clear that this generation is sensitive to the issues of gentrification and displacement. Some are understandably skeptical of the notion that Gateway City TOD will be different and produce benefits that are more widely shared. Above all, they don’t want others to be victimized by their arrival. Somewhat relatedly, they also voiced concerns about feeling welcome and a part of the community. One young man pointed out that the Lawrence station isn’t in the heart of the city’s downtown; he didn’t want to be isolated in a housing complex where residents primarily just come and go.

We’ll have much more to say on these topics soon, including a December episode of the Gateways podcast featuring Sal Lupoli, a Merrimack Valley developer who dreams big when it comes to serving this market. But for now, we leave our readers with this food for thought, and wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Eat well!

-Ben Forman

Housing & Economic Development

WGBH finds that individuals and families displaced by Roxbury’s rising housing costs have moved to Brockton to find affordable housing.

A recreational marijuana dispensary will soon open in Fitchburg, among other cities in Massachusetts.

 Springfield’s downtown continues to grow more colorful, as a macaron baker secures a prime brick-and-mortar location. Check out the role TDI played in making it happen!

A tax cut proposed by Mayor Tyer in Pittsfield with the aim of reducing strain on families has now been approved by the City Council.

As it plans to begin work on anew ballpark, the Worcester Redevelopment Authority has officially added workforce diversity to its list of priorities.

The Worcester Telegram finds that “green jobs” are on the rise across Central Massachusetts.

Worcester is soon to explore consolidating the management of all its public facilities, in a powerful move of centralizing public building management.

Governing: Are smart phones speeding gentrification?

Education

Two New Bedford officials, including a member of the school committee, dismiss the “charter school think-tank crowd” and urge the rejection of a proposal to expand the Alma del Mar charter.

A Lynn charter school will soon be built in a former industrial office building, with the assistance of state financing.

Governance

Brockton nears the end of a $3 million citywide lighting project, which provides 9,000 energy-efficient LED fixtures and will save the city as much as 60 percent on annual energy costs.

The group behind the effort to recall embattled Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia turned in more than 4,000 signatures to the city clerk for certification, a week ahead of the deadline and far more than the 2,510 required by law.

Oprah Winfrey plans a trip to Lowell to highlight the work of UMass Lowell and to help raise money for scholarships.

New Bedford police will hold a gun exchange program, offering gift cards for groceries or pizza for people who turn in a shotgun, rifle, or handgun, no questions asked.

Salem launches an innovative website that consolidates and provides access to meaningful resources for the elderly.

Transportation

ABC hosts a fireside chat moderated by Bruce Mohl with leaders from London and Toronto to discuss potential international models for the MBTA Commuter Rail.

Governing says transportation advocates fared well in the recent election, with perhaps the biggest victory coming in California where a measure to roll back a gas tax increase failed.

Philadelphia gets peddle-assist bike share. Wouldn’t that be great for Worcester?

Creative Placemaking

A community garden in Downtown Lynn will be constructed at nearby North Shore Community College.

The owner of Lizzie Borden’s final residence in Fall River is appealing to the state to grant him waivers to allow him to open the mansion as a bed and breakfast.

Fall River residents rally to save the historic St. Anne’s church. 

During a recent cross-country road trip, the Mayor of Attleboro and his dog go viral, receiving national and international attention, as the Mayor makes the most of his beloved dog’s final days.