Five Gateway City bills to watch this session

The Gateway Cities Journal

Last Friday was “docket day” on Beacon Hill, the deadline for filing legislation for consideration during the 2023 – 2024 session. The co-chairs of the Gateway Cities caucus presented five hefty bills. As a package, the complementary and commonsense policy proposals contained in these bills would offer a huge infusion of energy for Gateway City

The Baker Administration’s Crowning Achievement

The Gateway Cities Journal

Leaders on Beacon Hill continue to look for solutions to the stalled economic development package. Embedding the bill’s provision in a supplemental budget, which Governor Baker would take the lead in drafting, is one scenario floating around the State House. This approach has one major downside: supplemental budgets cannot contain bond authorizations. If this is

For the Good of the Commonwealth

The Gateway Cities Journal

Gateway City leaders awoke Monday morning to incredibly disheartening news: The legislature had failed to pass the economic development bill and its long-awaited increase in the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP). Session after session, the omnibus economic development bill has been the primary vehicle for economic policy in Massachusetts. Many interests are now waiting patiently

50 Gateway City economic development leaders write to state legislators for HDIP

50 Gateway City economic development leaders and developers sent a letter to state legislators calling for action to rescue the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP), which is the only state program to address the unique development challenges of our small cities. Most significantly, rents remain comparatively low in most Gateway Cities compared to rising construction

This is the moment to make transformative investments

The Gateway Cities Journal

The TDI program has been highly effective in Gateway Cities closer to Boston with relatively strong real estate markets. But the impact has been minimal in weaker markets outside of I-495, where Massachusetts desperately needs new sources of economic growth. Now is the moment to do right by the communities that state economic development policy has neglected for far too long.

Senate budget key to future of housing and transportation in Gateway Cities

The Gateway Cities Journal

The Senate budget debate next week could determine how competitive Gateway Cities will be in the post-pandemic economy. At a key moment when housing and transportation investments could help make these communities more attractive for an age of remote work, the danger of missing out on the opening and backsliding is real. Housing: Housing Development
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