Another MA state legislative session, another abject failure to do anything about MA’s housing shortage. Down to the smallest of small ball—municipal opt-in for allowing housing on religious properties (Yes In God’s Backyard) and commercial to residential conversions.

“In Toderian’s view, the dividing line between cities that succeed and those that stagnate isn’t geography, wealth or even size—it’s mindset. Some places embrace experimentation, risk…Others default to caution, delay, and a reflexive belief that change is impossible.” momentummag.com/urban-truth-...

Remember when Councillor Zusy claims to support Just-A-Start and this project on Mass Ave that she supports Doug Brown’s zoning petition that would have a huge negative impact on this and all other proposals under the 100% Affordable Housing Overlay!

This article omits the part where the affordable housing opponents acted like complete spoiled toddlers and threw a fit, yelling like entitled jerks to try to get their way.

“Boston has been named the best US city for foreign multinationals to do business, topping the fourth annual FT-Nikkei Investing in America ranking as companies prioritise skilled workers and research networks despite the city’s higher costs.” www.ft.com/content/ced9...

Not too late to email Cambridge City Council and tell them to stand up for housing affordability! www.abettercambridge.org/multifamily_...

Tell Cambridge City Council not to turn back the clock and reinstate anachronistic parking mandates tonight! www.abettercambridge.org/multifamily_...

I want to speak about my disappointment in how certain councillors handled new residents getting involved in the parking minimum discussion on June 4th.

For a generation, special permits were the way that both inclusionary and 100% affordable projects were struck down. Now that we have our first new housing proposed in West Cambridge, 3 of my colleagues have decided to bring back special permits under the guise of tree protection.

“The plaque says Fort Seawall built in 1644, ‘the structure has been modified to accommodate the town’s changing needs...’ Maybe history does have lessons for us after all.” - Marblehead’s David Modica rallying over 100 housing advocates ahead of @abundanthousingma.org Lobby Day

A tale of two cities: as bad as Eric Adams was, one area where he and Zohran are aligned is the importance of building more housing meanwhile Michelle Wu’s NIMBY policies are wrecking Boston’s homebuilding

Some go as high as several acres—87,000 square feet! The Starter Home ballot initiative seeks address this very issue—sign up to gather signatures! www.abundanthousingma.org/weekend-of-a...

Mid-Cambridge has successfully used their exclusionary Neighborhood (Historic) Conservation District to block multifamily infill and affordable housing for decades, so no surprise really. www.cambridgema.gov/-/media/File...

🚨 Congress could vote on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act as soon as TOMORROW! 🚨 Visit the link to tell your representative to support the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act TODAY: https://pulse.pulse.ly/1ngqhvn3lc

San Diego fell from 5th to 12th most expensive rental market by building more multifamily housing per capita than any other California city. This is what happens when you actually build. The lesson isn't complicated. www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/13/s...

NEW 📣: Applications are open for our #GoodLife Residents Program on housing policy! Led by @resnikoff.bsky.social, the cohort will develop bold policy ideas to expand housing supply and address the real constraints on building, from costs to materials to financing. Learn more and apply by June 1 ⬇️

20-years after the Keystone Building collapsed into Union Street, New Bedford is finally repairing the gap left in its urban fabric. A new mixed-use development with 45 homes & retail is rising in its place, part of a broader housing renaissance driven by pro-housing leadership.

At tonight's #cambma Planning Board, Tom Sieniewicz announces that it is associate member Joy Jackson's last meeting, as she is moving across the river [to Boston?].

From @sightline.org www.sightline.org/2026/05/05/c...

“The plan is a sham. And it represents a bigger problem in Massachusetts: Housing prices are sky-high in large part because municipalities are effectively blocking new construction.” www.bostonglobe.com/2026/05/07/b...

By the way, it's not at all an exaggeration to say Marblehead residents were comparing 3A to the Revolutionary War

"Tyranny of townhouses." I love this man.

“We shouldn’t be signing our name to a lie and the state shouldn’t let us get away with it.” On state funding tied to compliance, he added: “We don’t f—ing deserve it. It’s just not the right thing to do.” marbleheadcurrent.org/2026/05/06/m...

David Modica, truly the hero we need in Massachusetts! www.bostonglobe.com/2026/05/06/b...

@massgovernor.bsky.social and @kimdriscollma.bsky.social must address this problem of fake paper compliance—towns acting like “selfish pricks” by designating a golf course that’s never going to change as the town’s multifamily housing district.

On its third attempt tonight, Marblehead Town Meeting approved an “MBTA Communities–compliant” district largely centered on the 125-year-old Tedesco Country Club, meeting 3A requirements on paper while all but assuring no new housing would be built. This comment says it all.

@massgovernor.bsky.social @kimdriscollma.bsky.social If we are truly serious about addressing MA’s severe housing shortage, we can’t base these decisions for a proposal a block from the red line on 15-year-old, car-oriented, suburban design guidelines.

Now that @burhanazeem.bsky.social is running for State office, Macy's is selling his look at its store downtown.

Brookline and other municipalities could plan for steady new growth that offsets Prop 2.5 via zoning reform but choose not to do so.

Great explainer on how (and why!) to fix the build-to-rent single-family home provisions in the Senate housing bill.

The current 12-game Jeopardy champion works at an affordable housing finance agency in NJ, and shamed New York for not building more housing: "NJ's doing really well, we're ahead of NY, CT, PA. If you're from one of those states, shame on you, build more housing."

🚨MA Sen. Sean Maguire files S.4012, the "Nonconforming Conformity Act." The bill would make Massachusetts legal to build in Massachusetts again. Towns would calculate what they actually built before zoning existed, lot sizes, setbacks, density, and make that the new baseline.

@massgovernor.bsky.social @kimdriscollma.bsky.social this would be a straightforward boost to housing production, along with permitting reforms like a municipal review shot clock and licensed third-party reviews and inspections.

Lexington schools have lost 550 students and face a $4.7 million gap. Staff cuts are coming. Those 1,600 apartments some are fighting will bring at least $7mil in revenue & maybe 250 students. That new housing is not a burden. It's a desperately needed bailout. www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/27/m...

1. Here’s a thread on #NIMBY (“not in my backyard”) and the challenges of change in cities: First off, although it might feel that way, NIMBY isn’t unique to your city, and it’s (probably) not worse in your city than anywhere else. It’s also not surprising, since it’s largely about human nature.

Los Angeles’ housing crisis is self-inflicted.  For decades, city leaders have taken deliberate actions to limit new housing. Today, we announced our plan to fix this and triple housing production.

Across the country, the balance between local control & state action on housing has played out very differently. Montana & Texas have acted boldly at the state level while MA, CT, and NY continue to lag. A recent poll shows MA voters support stronger statewide action on housing.

It's happening! BUILD OR DIE: HOW AMERICA IS SUFFOCATING ITS CITIES AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT, coming from Princeton University Press on December 8. press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...

This new Pew study finds the biggest rent decreases from building multifamily go to lower income renters in the least expensive apartments, which directly prevents displacement and homelessness. Exactly our goal in #CambridgeMA!

We’ve spent decades making walkable neighborhoods like these nearly impossible to build today. Beacon Hill v. Federal Hill Old Montreal v. Old Quebec But which ones are the best? 40 iconic neighborhoods. 1 champion. 🇨🇦🇺🇸 Round 1 voting ends March 25 www.remainplaces.com/walkable

Never let anyone tell you politics doesn't matter. Change is unimaginable until it's inevitable.

The Senate just passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. I worked with colleagues on several of the bills in this bipartisan package to help boost housing supply and make it easier for families to find an affordable place to live. https://youtu.be/Es1IWoMprbA?si=Owf3Xgxvc8pVj1Mt

The folk morality around housing type and tenure in American cities:

Excellent speech from @schatz.bsky.social Schatz on the importance of fixing anti-build-to-rent provision in the ROAD to Housing Act (h/t @pewilliams.bsky.social) (1/3)

Over the past decade, The City of Austin, Texas has permitted more housing in a typical year than the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 2022 alone, Austin approved 24,227 units, about 1.5× the number permitted across Massachusetts that year.

I’ve had people laugh saying 'A better Massachusetts is possible' sounds underwhelming. But do you actually believe it? That fixing the T, solving the housing crisis, making childcare affordable is around the corner? Or is believing that we can have a government that delivers genuinely radical.

Great piece to share with the NIMBYs in your life.

Cambridge should consider a shift toward taxing land more than improvements/buildings!

Single-stair gets the New York Times treatment. @holz-bau.bsky.social reminds us why they call the last line the kicker: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/b... (gift link)

As we in #Brookline begin the discussion over this override, this is the shape of the debate: