Neighbors working together to preserve our neighborhoods and beyond.
Filter Blog Posts
State Should Follow Its Own Law Before Enforcing Compliance By Others
The New England Legal Foundation (NELF) has filed an amicus brief in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, supporting the Town of Milton in the case Attorney General v. Town of Milton, SJC-13580. This case addresses the enforceability of zoning “guidelines” issued by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) under the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Communities Act. NELF argues that these guidelines are not legally binding because they were not promulgated through the proper regulatory process required by the state’s Administrative Procedures Act (APA).
Rice Pond Village Project Appeal Filed
An appeal challenging the Millbury Board of Appeals' decision to grant a Comprehensive Permit for the proposed Chapter 40B Rice Pond Village project at 17 Rice Road in Millbury, Massachusetts, was filed in Worcester Superior Court this afternoon, Friday, August 30, 2024. The appeal will be served to all members of the Millbury Board of Appeals on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
Millbury Board Of Appeals Approved Chapter 40B Rice Pond Village Project
On Wednesday, August 14, 2024, the Millbury Board of Appeals approved the proposed Chapter 40B Rice Pond Village project, largely granting developers Steven Venincasa and James Venincasa their project as submitted with some conditions. The Millbury Board of Appeals largely dismissed the neighborhood's legitimate public safety concerns, suggesting that residents could appeal in superior court.
MBTA Communities Act Is Not Just Zoning
Anyone who thinks the MBTA Communities Act is merely about zoning without resulting in the demolition and construction of much denser housing is mistaken. If developers spot profit potential, they will move in and build. In fact, one developer is already targeting property owners in Millbury, seeking to buy properties with the aim of maximizing profits through increased density and monopolizing the town's rental market with market-rate units. This poses a serious concern for those living in the Business 1 Zoning District, the Environmental Justice Population zone, and those with incomes at 65 percent or less of the statewide median household income. Many Millbury residents find the current rents neither reasonable nor affordable.
The Impact Of Corporate Dominance On The Rental Market
The growing trend of corporate dominance in the rental housing market is causing concern among tenant advocates, local officials, and community members alike. When a single corporate entity controls a significant portion of the rental properties in a town or city, it can have far-reaching effects on housing affordability, community stability, and tenant well-being. The recent situation in San Diego, involving investment giant Blackstone Inc., serves as a stark example of these dynamics at play.
The Myth of Housing Supply and Demand: A Modern Trickle-Down Fallacy
In contemporary debates about affordable housing, a common argument suggests that increasing the overall supply of housing will naturally lead to more affordable homes for everyone. Proponents claim that by simply building more units, market forces will drive down prices, benefiting even those at the lower end of the income spectrum. This argument parallels the principles of trickle-down economics, which posits that benefits provided to the wealthy will eventually “trickle down” to the less fortunate, improving economic conditions for all. However, just as trickle-down economics has been widely criticized and debunked, the simplistic notion that increasing housing supply alone will solve affordability issues is fundamentally flawed.