#mbta-communities-act

#mbta-communities-act

As a result, the town has been deemed noncompliant by the state and was sued last week by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alongside eight other municipalities. The grant was awarded in October 2024 through the Healey-Driscoll administration's Community One Stop for Growth program and administered by the Executive Office of Economic Development. In its award letter, the EOED warned that no contract would be executed if the town remained noncompliant with Section 3A of Chapter 40A, the MBTA Communities Act. The EOED declined to comment.

"While bringing a lawsuit is never my first choice, courts have consistently ruled that compliance with this law is mandatory, and the urgency of our housing shortage compels me to act to ensure that all MBTA Communities meet their legal responsibilities. My office remains ready to assist any town working to come into compliance with the law,"

On Aug. 18, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) notified Winthrop that it would not receive the $819,829 grant for Morton Street, nor a $405,020 grant for Fishermen's Bend, due to noncompliance with the MBTA Communities Act. The state law mandates that municipalities with MBTA transit access establish zoning that allows multi-family housing as-of-right, but Winthrop has long-resisted compliance.

Twenty percent of the town's registered voters (3,347 votes) were needed to repeal the measure. Of the 16,732 registered voters in the town, 6,842 turned out to vote.