Why Massachusetts Might Sue Its Cities Over Zoning Codes

Massachusetts is taking a hard line on housing near transit. A new court ruling affirms that the state can sue cities and towns that fail to legalize multifamily housing near MBTA stations, enforcing a 2021 law aimed at boosting density around public transit. In this Upzoned episode, hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn unpack the ruling, debate the effectiveness of state intervention in local zoning, and argue that the real problem isn’t just restrictive land use—it’s a broader failure to align transportation investments with sustainable development.

Why does this matter in Minot? First, we need to start looking at zoning laws as a current problem, one that has the potential to be a current solution. Currently, we’ve turned zoning into an attempt to mitigate every disagreement among neighbors. Unfortunately, there is no fruit on that tree. What we need from zoning is to use it as a tool that furthers prosperity. Second, we — Minot — have had conversations on this exact topic — housing and transit. We evaluate them separately; they need to be tied — tightly.

Have a listen to the Strong Towns conversation below.

Abby Newsham

Strong Towns

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