Massachusetts

Charlie Baker wants lots of new housing around MBTA stations. Not so fast, towns say. – The Boston Globe

Published

3 years ago

April 26, 2022

Charlie Baker wants lots of new housing around MBTA stations. Not so fast, towns say. – The Boston Globe

Easy on paper. Harder in actual life. As Governor Charlie Baker’s administration drafts guidelines for the way the regulation can be applied, greater than 5 dozen communities are balking on the new necessities, in accordance with letters they’ve submitted in current weeks to the state that have been obtained by way of a public information request.

In Hamilton, for instance, officers warned that “group character can be severely compromised and certain degraded by poorly designed, cheaply-built tasks which can be incongruous with the group.” Topsfield officers say extra properties would ultimately imply hiring 4 new cops and 6 new firefighters. In Nahant and Ipswich, the worry is that roads and colleges might be overwhelmed.

Then there are communities such because the South Shore city of Plympton, the place the co-chairs of the open house committee requested to be exempt solely, citing, in a letter, the city’s lack of developable land, faculty house, and infrastructure.

Not complying with the regulation places communities prone to dropping out on state grant applications similar to MassWorks, which gives a whole lot of hundreds of {dollars}, and typically tens of millions, towards utility and avenue enhancements. Additionally in danger: grants of as much as $250,000 from the state’s Housing Alternative program, which MBTA Communities Watertown, Medway, and Swampscott, for instance, have used for upgrades to bike and pedestrian paths.

Communities that embrace state housing pointers can get further factors on grant functions. However, in the event that they don’t meet the brand new zoning guidelines, they might be ineligible for any of that cash.

“Relatively than a carrot method, it’s now a stick method,” mentioned Tina Cassidy, planning board director for town of Woburn.

She pointed to a different wrinkle. Woburn, Cassidy mentioned, has permitted 2,600 multifamily housing items prior to now decade — 58 % of that are close to one of many metropolis’s two practice stations. However they don’t depend beneath the principles as at the moment written, she says, as a result of they have been permitted by way of particular permits, not normal city zoning.

“It appears that evidently the work we’ve got been doing domestically — a few of us for years — appears to not be acknowledged as a part of the brand new regulation,” Cassidy mentioned.

The 175 communities coated by the regulation stretch from Fitchburg to Bourne, from Salisbury to Seekonk. (Two communities, Boston and Avon, are exempt) The regulation says these districts must be inside a half-mile of a transit station, the place relevant.

In writing pointers for the regulation, the Baker administration outlined “affordable dimension” as no fewer than 50 acres in every group and set a minimal variety of multifamily items for every city, primarily based on the extent of transit entry and quantity of current properties in the neighborhood.

The 50-acre minimal irked many municipal officers, in accordance with the Globe’s evaluation of remark letters, because it may enable for no less than 750 new items even in small communities with out commuter rail stations of their very own similar to Holliston, or Groton. And, many cities must construct far more beneath the brand new regulation, double or triple that quantity, relying if they’ve subway, bus, or commuter rail service, or if the closest station is within the subsequent city over. Newton, as an illustration, with its Inexperienced Line service, would wish to zone for greater than 8,300 multifamily items.

Most officers who wrote in to complain took subject with no less than considered one of these minimums, saying their communities are ill-equipped to deal with the dimensions of growth the brand new zoning would allow. In some cities, if the utmost quantity have been truly constructed, the housing inventory may develop by 25 % or extra; on the tiny peninsula of Nahant, the variety of properties may swell by almost 50 %. Some additionally famous that there isn’t any requirement that any of the housing be income-restricted at inexpensive costs.

Rosemary Kennedy, a Hamilton choose board member, felt strongly sufficient that she wrote a private letter, along with the one submitted by the city, warning that unreasonable density would damage the city’s potential to offer fundamental providers to its residents.

“It’s unfair and can destroy the well-being of our group,” Kennedy added.

Clark Ziegler, govt director of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership advocacy group, says these fears are overblown. He contends the laws is a blueprint for future growth — particularly in areas the place land surrounding practice stations isn’t well-utilized — not an specific requirement to construct the utmost quantity. He notes it steers way more growth to places with excessive ranges of T service, paving the best way to place extra housing the place folks and jobs are already concentrated.

“Native zoning through the years has tended to actually strongly discourage multifamily and encourage sprawl and huge single-family heaps,” Ziegler mentioned. “The concept that communities are being required to construct X hundred or X thousand is simply not true.”

Ziegler argues the state has constructed far too little housing for much too lengthy, a serious motive house costs listed below are among the many costliest within the nation.

“The housing market stress goes to be there with or with out this new regulation,” Ziegler mentioned. “All these development points are necessary long-term issues that want consideration.”

Issues about stress on municipal budgets are actual, however so is the housing disaster, mentioned Adam Chapdelaine, the outgoing city supervisor in Arlington.

“It’s been irrefutable for a very long time, however continues to develop into more and more irrefutable, that the area is affected by a housing disaster and we should be open to many various options for addressing housing affordability,” Chapdelaine mentioned. “I don’t suppose we’re able the place we might be rejecting options, or potential options, given the dire nature of the disaster.”

College Station in Westwood, a couple of blocks from the Route 128 commuter rail station, is the type of new growth that might be inspired beneath new guidelines requiring cities served by the MBTA to zone for denser multifamily housing.The Boston Globe/Globe Freelance

Officers within the Baker administration say that they got here up with the 50-acre minimal by drawing a circle with a half-mile radius round transit stations, calculating that the realm spanned about 500 acres. The minimal district dimension was designed to be one-tenth of that space. In a lot of the 175 municipalities, state officers mentioned, 50 acres characterize lower than 1 % of their complete land space. The aim of a district of this dimension is to encourage long-term, neighborhood-scale planning, as a substitute of utilizing zoning to approve tasks on a site-by-site foundation.

That the controversy is heating up now, greater than a yr after being finalized by the Legislature, displays the size of time it took for the Baker administration to draft the proposed guidelines and to start soliciting enter.

The laws that contained the zoning guidelines additionally contains Baker’s “Housing Alternative” proposal, which diminished the voting threshold wanted for cities to alter zoning for brand new housing. Whereas the MBTA mandate wasn’t a precedence of Baker’s, he resisted calls by the highly effective Massachusetts Municipal Affiliation to veto it when lawmakers included it in final yr’s financial growth invoice.

State officers stress the laws pertains to zoning alone, and isn’t a mandate to construct or produce new housing items. They’re now reviewing the suggestions from the cities and cities, in addition to enterprise and advocacy teams.

“The Administration has made clear that it intends to take a considerate method in growing compliance standards in accordance with the brand new regulation,” a state spokesperson mentioned in an e-mail to the Globe.

One factor almost everybody agrees on: Massachusetts faces a housing disaster, and must construct extra. However how, and the place, will get very tough, mentioned Greg Vasil, chief govt of the Higher Boston Actual Property Board. He mentioned placing cities on the defensive may damage the trigger.

“To get communities to construct these items, I believe there actually needs to be a give and take,” Vasil mentioned. “The communities don’t must play alongside. … Until you could have the communities embrace some of these things, they’re going to struggle you tooth and nail, and also you lose.”

Catherine Carlock may be reached at catherine.carlock@globe.com. Comply with her on Twitter @bycathcarlock. Jon Chesto may be reached at jon.chesto@globe.com. Comply with him on Twitter @jonchesto.

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Massachusetts

Here's what the largest lottery prize won in Mass. in 2024 was

Published

7 hours ago

January 3, 2025

Press Room

Here's what the largest lottery prize won in Mass. in 2024 was

The largest lottery prize won in Massachusetts in 2024 came from a ticket given to the winner as a birthday gift, which they called “the best birthday present ever.”

There were at least 150 players who won between $1 million and $15 million — and one player won even more.

The top prize won in Massachusetts in 2024 was worth $1 million a year for life.

The prize was from “Lifetime Millions,” a $50 scratch ticket game released on Feb. 6, 2024. As of Jan. 3, there are still two $1 million a year for life grand prizes remaining to be claimed, along with three $2 million prizes and seven $1 million prizes.

The top lottery winner of 2024 claimed their prize through the Merjon Tangovan Nominee Trust of Boston, represented by trustee Greg Racki, on July 10, 2024.

The winner received $15.4 million after Racki selected the cash option instead of annuity for the grand prize. They told Racki they plan on buying a new car, traveling and helping their family with the cash.

The winning ticket was bought at Northside Market & Liquors, located at 44 North Rd. in Bedford. The store received a $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

Here’s the complete list of the top 10 largest lottery prizes won in Massachusetts in 2024:

$1 million a year for life prize claimed from the “Lifetime Millions” scratch ticket game on July 10. The winner opted to receive their prize as a one-time payment of $15.4 million, and bought their $50 ticket at the Northside Convenience shop in Bedford. There’s still two grand prizes left to be claimed.
$15 million prize claimed from the “$15,000,000 Money Maker” scratch ticket game on Aug. 15. The winner bought their $30 ticket in Lynn at the One Stop Mart. As of December, there’s just one grand prize left to be claimed in the game.
$15 million prize claimed from the “300X” scratch ticket game on June 13. The winning $30 ticket was purchased at the Country Farms store in Topsfield. This was the first and only grand prize claimed in the game as of December, with two more grand prizes left to claim.
$10 million prize claimed from the “$10,000,000 Cash Blast” scratch ticket game on Oct. 3. The winner bought their $20 ticket at the Star Liquor store in Shrewsbury. It was the first and only grand prize claimed in the game as of December, with two more grand prizes left to claim.
$10 million prize claimed from the “$10,000,000 Cash King” scratch ticket game, also on Oct. 3. This winner bought their $20 ticket in Boston at Jobi Liquors, Inc., leaving no grand prizes left to be claimed.
$10 million prize claimed from the “$10,000,000 Bonanza” scratch ticket game on Sept. 4. The winning $20 ticket was sold in Raynham at Coletti’s Market, and was the only grand prize claimed in the game as of December, with two more grand prizes left to claim.
$5.37 million jackpot prize won during the “Megabucks” drawing on May 4. The winning numbers for the drawing were 4, 11, 15, 26, 30 and 40, and the winning ticket was purchased in Northborough at Lowe’s Variety Mart.
$5 million prize claimed from a “$5,000,000 100X Cashword 2024″ scratch ticket on Oct. 2. A hot week for lottery players in the state, this $20 winning ticket was sold at From Brazil Restaurant in Peabody. There’s just one grand prize left in the game as of December.
$5 million prize claimed from a “$5,000,000 100X Cashword” scratch ticket (released in 2023) on June 18. The winning ticket was sold at the Price Chopper in Pittsfield, and was the last grand prize left in the game.
$2.64 million prize won during the “Megabucks” drawing on Aug. 24. The winning numbers for the drawing were 5, 6, 8, 9, 24 and 32, and the winner bought their ticket while at the Hillcrest Country Club in Leicester.

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Massachusetts

These 9 new laws go into effect in Mass. in 2025. Here's what they all are

Published

17 hours ago

January 3, 2025

Press Room

These 9 new laws go into effect in Mass. in 2025. Here's what they all are

With the new year comes new laws that are set to take effect in Massachusetts in 2025.

Five bills were signed into law with set dates for when the new laws, signed by Gov. Maura Healey, go into effect.

Four other new laws were part of a large economic development bill Healey signed in November, covering a wide range of issues from clean energy to education. The text of this law contained an emergency preamble, which gives the governor authority to determine whether a new law should go into effect immediately.

Here are the latest changes made to Massachusetts state law.

Employers must show salary ranges in job postings

Beginning Oct. 29, 2025, Massachusetts employers with 25 or more employees must disclose salary ranges and protect an employee’s right to ask for salary ranges. This received Healey’s approval on July 31 when Healey signed the Francis Perkins Workplace Equity Act, named after the first woman to be Secretary of Labor under President Franklin Roosevelt.

The new law also prohibits employers from firing or retaliating against any employee or applicant who asks for salary ranges when applying for a job or promotion, according to state law.

Employers’ demographic wage data

Along with salary ranges, Massachusetts employers with at least 100 state-based employees must file an annual report to the state, according to the legal firm Cooley. This annual report includes workforce demographic and pay data categorized by race, ethnicity, sex, and position.

This goes into effect on Feb. 1, 2025, with the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development then publishing aggregated data in a report on its website on July 1 of each year.

Massachusetts joins 11 other states in enacting this law: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island and Washington.

Sealing eviction records

Healey signed the Affordable Homes Act on Aug. 6. Going into effect on May 5, 2025, this law allows tenants to petition the courts to seal certain eviction records that can make it difficult for renters to secure housing, according to the state’s website.

The law will also make it illegal for a consumer reporting agency to include a sealed eviction record in its reports.

Parentage equality expansions

In August, Healey signed into law an act that updates the state’s parentage laws for the first time in 40 years, according to the Governor’s Office. The Massachusetts Parentage Act provides protections for parents who use surrogacy, in-vitro fertilization and assisted reproduction, as well as for LGBTQ+ parents.

The bill also modernizes the law’s language to be more inclusive, replacing words like “paternity” for “parentage” and “child born out of wedlock” for “nonmarital child,” Healey’s office said.

“Our laws need to reflect the realities of modern families and the loving environments where children grow and flourish,” Healey said in an Aug. 9 statement. “This moment is a victory for all families in Massachusetts who deserve to be treated with dignity and to have their rights recognized and protected under the law.”

This law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

Updates to paid family and medical leave

On Oct. 1, the Department of Family and Medical Leave announced it would update weekly benefits for paid family and medical leave in Massachusetts. The maximum weekly benefits that employees can receive are set to increase from $1,149.90 to $1,170.64 per week, according to the legal firm Fisher Phillips.

The overall paid family and medical leave contribution rate will stay at 0.88% for eligible employees working at a business with 25 employees or more, the legal firm Seyfarth said in a statement. The contribution rate for smaller employers will remain at 0.46%.

Changes go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

Economic development for climate tech, AI and natural gas

Healey signed an economic development bill called the Mass Leads Act on Nov. 20. Its goal is to promote the development and use of clean energy across the state, with improvements to energy affordability, expand access to electric vehicles, and “facilitate the application of artificial intelligence across the state’s ecosystem‚“ Healey’s office said in a statement.

“This legislation will create new jobs, strengthen our efforts to recruit and retain the best talent, support all of our communities, and grow our arts, culture and tourism sectors,” the administration said in its statement.

The new law supports initiatives that aim to make Massachusetts a hub for climate technology, Healey’s office said. This includes $400 million in capital resources going to the offshore wind industry and establishing a new climate tech incentive program to bring and keep climate tech companies in Massachusetts. It will also update the existing Offshore Wind Tax Incentive Program.

The sweeping bill also includes provisions to overhaul the state’s permitting process for Massachusetts to build more renewable energy infrastructure to meet its climate goals. WBUR reported that these changes are intended to go into effect by March 2026.

The law also authorizes $100 million to be used to create the Massachusetts AI Hub “to facilitate the application of artificial intelligence across the state’s ecosystem,” the statement read. Healey’s office added that this hub is expected to boost innovation and “attract AI talent” to the state.

Additionally (but not lastly), the law establishes new provisions for natural gas. More networked geothermal projects, like Eversource in Framingham, will be built in order to bring cleaner forms of heating and cooling, WBUR reported.

The law also changes how gas utilities are incentivized to replace leaky underground pipes, with the state now prioritizing short-term repairs or retiring segments of a pipeline.

Due to the emergency preamble written into the Mass Leads Act, the law immediately went into effect with Healey’s signature.

More funding for electric vehicle incentives

The Mass Leads Act also introduced new provisions for electric vehicles, including an extension of state funding for its electric vehicle incentive program until 2027, WBUR wrote.

The Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles, or MOR-EV, program is intended to cut down on air pollution and greenhouse gases.

The program offers rebates for buying or leasing eligible battery electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles.

Another provision includes directing the Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to review laws that ban the sale of new gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles after 2035, WBUR reported.

As part of the Mass Leads Act, these parts of the law also immediately went into effect upon the bill’s signing.

Nurses can work across state lines

The passage of the Mass Leads Act also addressed the nursing shortage in Massachusetts. The bill included a measure to join the Nurse Licensure Compact, which allows nurses operating in other states affiliated with the compact to practice out of state via in-person or telehealth, GBH reported in November.

Massachusetts became the last New England state to join the compact.

“Compact membership will also enhance the ability of the Massachusetts health care system to prepare for pandemics, emergencies and other staffing needs and to facilitate telehealth and other care delivery transformations in the future,” Mickey O’Neill, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, told GBH.

This also went into effect immediately after Healey signed the Mass Leads Act.

Educator diversity

Another facet of the economic development bill that Healey signed focused on education. The new law incorporated a bill known as the Massachusetts Teachers Association-supported Educator Diversity Act.

This change will see the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education develop an alternative certification process for teachers who may have challenges with the educator certification exam, but can still demonstrate their capabilities as teachers, Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka said in a statement in November.

Because educator diversity was part of the Mass Leads Act, it immediately went into effect with Healey’s signature on Nov. 20.

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