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Article 8 - A Threat To Millbury’s Future
Voters must reject Article 8 at Millbury’s special town meeting on Saturday, November 9, 2024. This is not merely a zoning issue—it’s about protecting our town’s identity and integrity. Far from creating housing stock, the MBTA Communities Act may drive up rents, displace vulnerable residents, increase taxes, and strain schools, emergency services, and infrastructure. If fully implemented, Millbury as we know it may cease to exist, transforming into a high-density zone catering more to developers’ profits than residents’ needs. Milton and Wenham studies indicate that each unit could bring in up to 0.8 children for market-rate units and 1.4 children for affordable units, potentially adding 645 new students to Millbury’s schools—an annual cost of over $10 million.
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).
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.
Next Up: Exploiting The MBTA Communities Act
In recent years, developers have increasingly exploited Chapter 40B, using it as a tool to bypass local zoning bylaws and pursue projects that maximize their bottom line. Now, many see the MBTA Communities Act (M.G.L. c. 40A §3A) as a similar opportunity for developers. While the MBTA Communities Act does not override all local zoning regulations, it provides a pathway for developers to circumvent certain restrictions, leading to much denser developments than local communities may desire. This approach allows developers to push projects forward with fewer obstacles, aligning with their financial interests but often at odds with community preferences and established zoning norms.