Boston Policy Issues

The Boston Committee is currently focused on the following issues:

  • Inclusionary Development – MACDC has continually advocated for a strong and effective inclusionary development policy.  Two CDC leaders have served on the Mayor’s advisory committee that helped the Mayor develop a specific proposal for strengthening this program and MACDC is very supportive of the Mayor’s recently announced proposal to raise the requirement to 20% of the units in larger housing developments.
  • Linkage Policy – MACDC also always advocated for a strong Linkage Program and is a member of the Linkage Coalition that has been advocating on this issue for years. We are very supportive of Mayor Wu’s proposal to strengthen that program by raising fees over the next two years to better reflect the cost of new housing development.
  • Rent Stabilization – MACDC is serving on the Mayor’s Rent Stabilization Committee to help shape the development of an effective and sustainable rent stabilization program for the City of Boston.
  • Transfer Taxes – MACDC has been an active member of a broad coalition advocating for state legislation that would enable Boston to establish a transfer tax on high value properties for the purpose of funding more affordable housing.
  • Community Preservation Act – MACDC was a leader in the 2016 campaign to enact the Community Preservation Act in the City of Boston. Since that time, we have consistently engaged with city officials to ensure the effective implementation of the program so that it meets the diverse needs of the City’s neighborhoods.
  • Climate and Clean Energy – MACDC and its members support the rapid decarbonization and electrification of subsidized housing and all forms of housing across the city and we support the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Act and other efforts to accelerate this transformation. We meet regularly with City officials to ensure that the implementation of these policies is done with a strong focus on racial equity and to ensure that the policies do not unintentionally make housing more expensive to build or occupy.
  • Acquisition Opportunity Program – We strongly support this program to help finance the acquisition and preservation of so-called naturally occurring affordable housing.  We have worked and continue to work with the City to ensure the program is designed for success.
  • Zoning and Planning – MACDC and its member work closely with the BPDA to advocate for zoning and planning processes that ensure strong community participation, hold large institutions accountable and facilitate the development of affordable housing.

Documents:

Boston Policy Issues

Boston Community Preservation Act