District Management for Downtown Vitality

Ingredients and Recipes for Success

Ben Forman, Andre Leroux and Elise Rapoza

Commercial districts need a high volume of foot traffic to support thriving small businesses. Supplemental district management services can dramatically increase this pedestrian activity. In recent years, there has been read more

Topic(s): Economic Development, Gateway Cities, Transformative Transit-Oriented Development

Community Capital for Small Businesses

A Study of the CDFI and CDC Ecosystem in Massachusetts

Matt Brewster, Meaghan Phillips and Elise Rapoza

Prepared in partnership with P2 Advisors, this new study explores small business lending services provided by federally certified Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) and state certified Community Development Corporations (CDCs). read more

Topic(s): Economic Development, Gateway Cities, Transformative Transit-Oriented Development

Empowering Cities to Accelerate Equitable Growth

A State Policy Blueprint for Inclusive Municipal Contracting

Ben Forman, Angelia Heimsoth, Priya Lane, Miles Roper and Oren Sellstrom

Prepared in partnership with Lawyers for Civil Rights, this study surveys the landscape for inclusive municipal procurement in Massachusetts. The analysis reveals large racial and ethnic disparities in public contracting and read more

Topic(s): Jobs and Economic Security, Economic Development, Gateway Cities

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 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 read more

Topic(s): Economic Development, Transportation, Gateway Cities, Transformative Transit-Oriented Development

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 read more

Topic(s): Education

Prioritizing Equitable Growth Through Fare Policy

Elizabeth Haney, Tracy A. Corley, PhD and Ben Forman

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 read more

Topic(s): Transportation, Research, Transformative Transit-Oriented Development

Local Accountability

An Untapped Strategy for Advancing Student Achievement in Massachusetts Public Schools

Ben Forman

This volume combines the three papers in the local accountability series in one document with an executive summary. The five-page executive summary encapsulates the findings and recommendations and provides further read more

Topic(s): Education, Gateway Cities

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

Tracy A. Corley, PhD and Andrés Paxton-Martin

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 read more

Topic(s): Economic Development, Transportation, Gateway Cities, Research, Transformative Transit-Oriented Development

Governing Local Accountability

The Health of School Committees and Councils in Gateway Cities

Ben Forman and Connor Lentz

Paper two documented a dearth of local accountability practice in Gateway Cities. The third and final installment in our series, this report traces the absence of robust local accountability in read more