Growing support for regional ballot initiatives to fund our transportation future

The Gateway Cities Journal

The Governor’s Commission on the Future of Transportation envisions a high-performance regional rail system connecting urban centers across the Commonwealth to Boston’s talent, R&D, and global relationships. This strategy leverages existing commuter rail infrastructure to generate more balanced economic development throughout the state. However, it still requires a considerable investment. We will need to modernize the commuter

Wielding the Double-Edged Zoning Sword

The Gateway Cities Journal

The Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance released a new study linking the state’s housing crisis to zoning at a well-attended State House event last week. Amy Dain, lead author of the report, pointed to four ways zoning inhibits the housing market: height and density limits, ad hoc approval processes, mixed-use commercial requirements, and “edge city” land

From “collective breaking point” to collective victory

The Gateway Cities Journal

In 2013, Gateway City leaders worked with MassINC to develop an education vision. This blueprint articulated how they could take advantage of their many uniquely urban assets to build economically-integrated schools that provide all students with exceptional educational opportunities. Gateway City educators labored to fulfill this vision with an array of innovative programs, but time

The South Coast Rail opportunity sitting right before our eyes

The Gateway Cities Journal

At a MassINC event held in New Bedford earlier this month, Jean Fox, MassDOT’s South Coast Rail Project Manager, reported that construction to reestablish train service to the region is finally set to begin. You could hear the room full of leaders from Southeastern Mass breath a collective sigh of relief upon receiving the long-awaited news. But

House budget advances Gateway City neighborhood stabilization effort

The Gateway Cities Journal

The FY 2020 House budget released yesterday directs $1 million to MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)-with $750,000 of that earmarked for neighborhood stabilization activities. This represents an important step forward (and a strong show of support) for a concerted effort to create a comprehensive neighborhood stabilization program for Massachusetts. With these funds, MassDevelopment could build

Ending the Cycle of Segregation

The Gateways City Journal

Gateway City leaders converged on Beacon Hill last week to plead for more education funding. The facts are undisputed: In recent years, state aid has not kept pace with rising healthcare and special education costs. Changes to the way the state counts low-income students penalized Gateway City schools that serve large numbers of immigrants. And

A New Vision for Commuter Rail

The Gateway Cities Journal

The past two weeks have been exciting ones for transportation in the Commonwealth. Our legislative leadership has primed the policy pump for the Commonwealth to make bold changes to our commuter rail system. House Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Spilka stated Tuesday that “all ideas are on the table” for how to fund necessary transportation

Housing Choice & HDIP, ASAP

The Gateway Cities Journal

Last Wednesday was a big day on Beacon Hill. Governor Baker gathered leaders from across the state to make a forceful argument for acting promptly on his sensible Housing Choice legislation. The Governor’s bill takes on the housing crunch/road congestion behemoth by making it easier to approve multifamily development, particularly near existing transit stations. Under the legislation,

A First Test for the Local Accountability Concept

The Gateway Cities Journal

Last week, MassINC held an education policy forum at the State House. The event highlighted findings from a series of three new research reports exploring what it would mean to ask communities to play a larger role defining what they want their schools to produce and provide more accountability for delivering these outcomes. This is a

An Act Relative to Neighborhood Stabilization and Economic Development

The Gateway Cities Journal

Gateway City legislators gathered yesterday to unveil An Act Relative to Neighborhood Stabilization and Economic Development. Filed by Representative Antonio Cabral (House Docket 3507) and Senator Brendan Crighton (Senate Docket 1578), the bill furthered the ideas for strengthening blighted and distressed neighborhoods that MassINC and the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations assembled last fall
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