Pathways to Economic Mobility

Identifying the Labor Market Value of Community College in Massachusetts

Ben Forman
New research shows that simply attending community college increases employment rates, while a certificate or degree sparks increases in employment and earnings – including an increase of as much as $14,000 annually in salary in some fields. read more
Topic(s): Education, Jobs and Economic Security

Viewing Justice Reinvestment from a Correctional Officer’s Perspective

Ben Forman and Anusha Rahman
This paper highlights Massachusetts's unprecedented opportunity to make better use of limited public safety resources. By reducing the incarcerated population and reinventing correctional practices with more leadership and direction from those on the frontlines, state and local leaders can create healthier environments and more successful outcomes for the incarcerated population. read more
Topic(s): Criminal Justice

Will Recent Homebuying Trends Intensify Racial Wealth Gaps?

Data show Black and Latino residents increasingly purchasing in unstable Gateway City neighborhoods

Ben Forman and Abraham Reiss
This research brief documents changing homebuying trends by race and ethnicity using Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) lending data and a neighborhood conditions index constructed with Census figures. Findings build on previous MassINC research, which documented the need for state-level policy to provide Gateway Cities with resources and assistance carrying out comprehensive neighborhood stabilization activities. read more

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

Tracy A. Corley, PhD, Ben Forman, Elizabeth Haney and Catherine Tumber
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 read more
Topic(s): Strong Communities, Economic Development, Transportation, Gateway Cities, Transformative Transit-Oriented Development

Using 40R and 43D to Stimulate Transformative Transit-Oriented Development in Gateway Cities

Elizabeth Haney
This policy brief is the third in a series exploring state and local level approaches to generating transformative transit-oriented development (TTOD) in Gateway Cities. This brief examines two additional state incentive programs—43D Expedited Permitting and 40R Smart Growth Zoning—as tools to spur Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in Gateway Cities read more
Topic(s): Economic Development, Transportation, Gateway Cities, Transformative Transit-Oriented Development

MassForward

Advancing Democratic Innovation and Electoral Reform in Massachusetts

Peter Levine, Ben Forman and Laurel Bliss
Produced in partnership with the Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, this report argues Massachusetts will need the varied experience, expertise, and service of its diverse population in order to tackle the numerous and increasingly complex challenges that the future promises to hold. The analysis reveals four major structural forces that inhibit many read more
Topic(s): Elections

Drafting an Action Plan for Early College Expansion

Ben Forman
Building on the June 2019 MassINC report exploring the promise of Early College High Schools, this discussion paper examines strategies to sustainably finance these programs. The analysis describes the additional costs associated with delivering the model with fidelity, and looks at how leading Early College states invest funds to help school districts and their college read more
Topic(s): Education
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