• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Contact Us

Agency Checklists

Massachusetts Insurance News & Job Opportunities

You are here: Home / unpublished / Praise, Not Punishment, Highlighted In New MBTA Zoning Pitch

Praise, Not Punishment, Highlighted In New MBTA Zoning Pitch

May 8, 2024 by State House News Service

AG Laments MBTA Communities Act Not Getting “The “Attention and Narrative it Deserves”

Agency Checklists, MA Insurance Calendar, Mass. Insurance Calendar

May 6, 2024….Amid a crucial town meeting season for eastern Massachusetts cities and towns that are required to comply with the state’s new multifamily zoning law, there’s been a bit of a tone shift among top state leaders in recent days — pivoting from highlighting the consequences of noncompliance to showering praise on municipalities that do what the law requires.

Gov. Maura Healey’s administration has revoked state grant money from Milton and Attorney General Andrea Campbell is suing the town over its noncompliance with the MBTA Communities Act, a 2021 law that requires cities and towns near T service to adopt zoning that allows multifamily housing by right in certain areas. A handful of other communities have put up signs of resistance, including Wrentham and Marshfield. The Boston Globe reported that residents in Rockport are also resisting the change.

But as more and more communities required to be in compliance by the end of this year hold town meetings and prepare the votes necessary to comply this spring, Healey and Campbell have recently focused more on the towns doing what is expected of them rather than warning of the punishments on the table.

In a short video posted to X on Friday, Campbell addressed young people in particular about the MBTA Communities Act, “which I don’t think is getting the attention and the narrative that it deserves, which should be a positive one.”

The AG gave shout-outs to the municipalities that voted last week to approve zoning plans in compliance with the MBTA Communities Act — Newbury, Hingham, Andover, Concord, Rockport and Winchester — and praised residents and local officials for their work.

Without directly mentioning the lawsuit she filed against Milton when its residents voted not to comply with the law, Campbell lamented that the towns in compliance aren’t getting much attention.

“Sadly, I think this narrative is being lost. The momentum is there, the progress that communities are making is also there. And we also expect next week more communities to vote into compliance. And so I’m getting out here to celebrate those communities,” she said. “As we work to address our housing crisis in Massachusetts — and we certainly have one — this law is certainly an effective tool to do that. And I’m proud of these communities, and the residents are working hard to do it every single day.”

On Monday, Healey and a large contingent of her administration were in Lynn to kick-off a multi-week, statewide housing campaign that could overlap with the Legislature’s consideration of the governor’s $4.1 billion housing bond and policy bill. In addition to highlighting her plans to energize housing production, the governor’s office said Healey would also “applaud the communities that have complied or are on the path to complying with the MBTA Communities Law.”

Primary Sidebar

MA Division of Insurance Announcements

New Episode

MA Insurance Lawyers

SPONSORED

Career News

The Concord Group Appoints Michael P. Nolin, Jr. as President & Chief Executive Officer

Industry Veterans Join Plymouth Rock as Territory Sales Manager for Massachusetts

Risk Strategies Founder Mike Christian Named 2025 Insurance Professional of the Year

Risk Strategies Founder Mike Christian Named 2025 Insurance Professional of the Year

Arbella Adds Two New Members to its Board of Directors

Arbella Adds Two New Members to its Board of Directors

View More Career News

In Memoriam

In Memoriam: Roy Corso: 1943-2025

In Memoriam: Kevin Hugh Kelley, 1950-2025

In Memoriam: Kevin Hugh Kelley, 1950-2025

In Memoriam: Stephen Lee Brown, 1937-2025

In Memoriam: Stephen Lee Brown, 1937-2025

Company News

Hiring initiative bringing 100 new Farmers Insurance® jobs to four cities

Travelers Institute Announces Fall 2025 Wednesdays with Woodward® Webinar Schedule

Insurance Library Announces 2025 Members of Hess Benefactor Society

Agency Checklists, Arbella's New Cyber Endorsement, Cyber Extortion Insurance, CyberBullying Insurance, Online Fraud Insurance for Homeowners, Data Breach Insurance for Homeowners, CyberBullying Insurance for your children

Massachusetts RMV Cautions Public to Beware of Text Scams

Footer

Agency Checklists

Contact us

We offer a variety of ways to get help promote your company or product.

Announcements
Email Sponsorships
Partnerships
Custom Collaborations

*Affiliate Disclosure

Please note that any of Agency Checklists’ articles might contain one or more affiliate links. This means that any subsequent purchase resulting from these links may result in a commission for us, but at no additional cost to you. For example, as an Amazon Associate, Agency Checklists earns a commission from all qualifying purchases. By working with affiliates we can continue to keep Agency Checklists subscription free. Thank you for your support.

Explore Our Archives

Copyright © 2025 · Agency Checklists · All rights reserved.

 

Loading Comments...