This fall, more than 50 communities across Massachusetts will decide whether to comply with the MBTA Communities zoning law. This law, which aims to remove barriers to "missing middle" housing near transit, requires communities to have at least one zoning district that allows multi-family-by-right.
Upcoming Town Meeting & City Decision-Making Dates
This is not a comprehensive list. More than 130 municipalities must adopt zoning to comply with MBTA Communities by December 31, 2024. To find out if your community will be voting on MBTA Communities this fall (or has already voted), go to your city or town website.
Small adjacent communities have until December 31, 2025, to comply with MBTA Communities and may be planning for a vote in 2025.
- Ashland, November 20
- Ayer, October 28
- Bellingham, November 20
- Belmont, November 18, 19, 25
- Billerica, October 21
- Bourne, November 4
- Dracut, November 18
- East Bridgewater, October 27
- Gloucester, September 26 (Mayor/Council)
- Hanson, October 7
- Ipswich, October 22
- Kingston, November 19
- Lynnfield, November 18
- Manchester, October 1
- Medway, November 12
- Middleborough, November 7
- Millbury, November 19
- Millis, November 15
- Middleboro, October 7
- Natick, October 15
- Needham, October 21
- Reading, November 14
- Shirley, November 18
- Southborough, September 13
- Wenham, November 16
- Winthrop, November 16 (Town Council)
- Wrentham, November 18
Local Advocacy Groups
If you don't see your city or town listed here, contact Abundant Housing Massachusetts (AHMA) or Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) for support developing a new pro-housing group. More information below.
- Amherst — Amherst Affordable Housing Advocacy Coalition
- Belmont — Belmont Town of (more!) Homes
- Brookline — Brookline for Everyone
- Franklin — Building Equitable Neighborhoods for Franklin (BEN 4 Franklin)
- Gloucester — Housing 4 All Gloucester
- Greater Newburyport — YWCA The Greater Newburyport Housing Choice Coalition
- Holden — Housing for Holden
- Ipswich — Homes for All Ipswich
- Lynn — Lynn Housing Coalition
- Marblehead — Marblehead Housing Coalition
- Medford — Housing Medford
- Milton — Affordable Inclusive Milton (Milton AIM)
- Needham — Needham Housing Coalition
- Newton — Engine 6 Newton Housing Advocates
- Norwood — Norwood for All
- Revere — Revere Housing Coalition
- Somerville — Somerville YIMBY
- Southborough — Southborough for All
- Waltham — Waltham Politics
- Watertown — Housing for All Watertown
- Winthrop — Winthrop Working Together
Statewide Resources
Abundant Housing Massachusetts (AHMA), for grassroots coalition-building and support (more below)
Boston Indicators, subscribe to the "Upzone Update" eNewsletter
Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), for help with community engagement and local coalition building, and for 3A Technical Assistance (more below)
Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities, for multi-family zoning requirements
Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP), for 3A and other Technical Assistance (more below)
AHMA
Abundant Housing Massachusetts (AHMA) drives policy at the state and local level by identifying pro-housing changemakers, building the power of local organizers, and connecting a statewide network.
- MBTA Communities Toolkit. AHMA has an extensive resource page for grassroots organizations and local advocates:
- MBTA Communities ACT One-Pager and FAQ
- Messaging guides
- Community outreach planning tools
- Training videos
- Research and supporting materials
- One-on-one organizing assistance. AHMA offers one-on-one organizing assistance for new and developing local groups. If you want AHMA to support you in starting a new pro-housing group in your town, reach out to them.
CHAPA
Citizens' Housing & Planning Association (CHAPA) brings stakeholders together from across the industry — lenders, developers, stakeholders, municipalities, community groups, tenants, and more — to build consensus around equitable solutions to our Commonwealth's affordable housing challenges.
- Tell CHAPA where you live. If you're interested in receiving a notification when CHAPA is working in your community through coalition building, legislative efforts, and locally based training and events, please complete this form.
- Municipal Engagement Initiative (MEI). CHAPA's MEI works with residents on the ground to change the conversation and support existing local efforts in favor of more affordable housing. Applications are currently open and CHAPA is accepting 2-3 new communities.
- 3A Technical Assistance. CHAPA provides free-of-cost Technical Assistance for Community Engagement to all interested MBTA Communities seeking to comply with 3A. Municipal staff, elected leaders, and board members are encouraged to apply.
MHP
The Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) works with communities to create innovative policy and financing solutions that provide affordable homes and better lives for the people of Massachusetts.
- MBTA Zoning Compliance Technical Assistance ("3A-TA"). The 3A-TA program components include:
- Training: A series of instructional webinars focused on "big picture" and adjacent topics.
- Direct Technical Assistance for MBTA Communities: Eligible activities include siting and mapping the district, developing use and intensity requirements and calculating capacity yield, and assistance with the compliance application.
- 3A-TA Information Clearinghouse: The latest information to help communities comply with the new requirements.