Tracy A. Corley, PhD Transit-Oriented Development Fellow, MassINC

Dr. Tracy A. Corley, MassINC’s Transit-Oriented Development Fellow, thrives on creating economic opportunities and sustainable livelihoods for people in our world’s metropolitan regions. She brings expertise in economic development, business, labor markets, architecture, law, and public policy to MassINC. As the TOD Fellow, she convenes political and community leaders to spur inclusive development in Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities.  

Prior to joining MassINC, Dr. Corley split time between Boston and the German Rhineland, conducting doctoral research on informal work in Germany’s skilled trades and crafts sector. She obtained multiple grants for this research, including German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) funding. The Berlin Social Science Center (WZB), Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (MPIfG), and Institute for Labor, Skills and Training (IAQ) hosted her during her investigations in Germany. 

Previously, Dr. Corley lived in Seattle, Washington, where she coordinated strategy and planning for Seattle Jobs Initiative, founded two consulting firms, and served as the Vice Chair of Small Business on the Seattle Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees. Her diverse experience included work in sustainability, energy efficiency, clean technology, finance, banking, and telecommunications. She has also worked as an architect and graphic designer in Seattle, WA, and Greenville, SC. 

Dr. Corley attained her B.A. in Architecture Design from Clemson University in 1995 and her M.S. in Public Policy and Ph.D. in Law and Public Policy from Northeastern University in 2018.

ARTICLES By Tracy A. Corley, PhD

From Transactional to Transformative: The Case for Equity in Gateway City Transit-Oriented Development

Transformative Transit-Oriented Development recognizes that equity is the key to transforming cities and towns in Massachusetts, and the country. In Massachusetts, a decades long economic boom has not always reached Gateway Cities, yielding uneven growth and investment that have deepened inequities across places, races, classes and cultures. The coronavirus pandemic has amplified these disparities. To

TTOD Planning and Design Competition

Proposal Deadline Approaching + Updated Guidelines

Proposal deadline approaching! Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest in submitting a project to our TTOD Planning and Design Competition! Many project teams have given us sneak previews of their design, planning, and research projects. We look forward to receiving your final proposals on January 12, 2020. This competition connects student teams with

Prioritizing Equitable Growth Through Fare Policy

This policy brief explores the concept of fare equity and demonstrates why the current commuter rail fare structure makes train travel uneconomical for many Gateway City residents, especially those living in the immediate station areas. The brief also provides a deeper understanding of why affordable fares are a critical precursor for transformative transit-oriented development and

Ben Forman and Dr. Tracy Corley offer testimony to the Joint Committee on Revenue

On Regional Ballot Initiatives for Transportation

The Honorable Adam G. Hinds, Senate Chair The Honorable Mark J. Cusack, House Chair Members, Joint Committee on Revenue State House, Rooms 109-E and 34 Boston, MA 02133   Dear Chair Hinds, Chair Cusack, and Members of the Committee: Thank you for this opportunity to provide written testimony in support of An Act Relative to

A Complex Recipe for Housing Financing

Brockton Offers Formula for Gateway Cities

Rob May, Brock- ton’s director of economic devel- opment and planning, famously offers up his seven-layer dip to any- one with a taste for the city’s downtown. A 121B Urban Re- newal plan forms the base. Then, he mixes in 40Q District Improvement Financing, a 40R Smart Growth Overlay District, a 40V Hous-ing Development Zone and a Transformative Development District.

Combining HDIP and OZ for Transformative Transit-Oriented Development in Gateway Cities

This policy brief is the second in a series exploring state and local level approaches to generating transformative transit-oriented development (TTOD) in Gateway Cities. Here, our thinking is that the state’s commuter rail system would receive much more use—and spur greater, more transformative Gateway City investment—if rail station areas were primed for compact TOD. The

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