‘There’s No Way Through This but Forward’
No matter your political leanings, policy preferences, or preferred candidates, the presidential re-election of Donald Trump presents serious challenges for the health of the public on a local, national, and global scale. Trump’s Cabinet nominations thus far have provided a clear window into the direction his administration hopes to take on a number of health issues. Below, members of the SPH community share what a second Trump administration means to them personally and to the public health issues that matters most to them—and how we can remain optimistic and embrace opportunities to make progress towards a safer and healthier world.
Could public land help alleviate Boston’s housing crisis? A new report suggests so
The Boston Foundation released its annual Greater Boston Housing Report Card this morning. The data, compiled by the foundation’s think tank Boston Indicators, gives insight into a number of housing market factors — from rent and home sale prices to rates of housing instability. The 2024 report also looks at an untapped resource researchers say may help alleviate the state’s housing crisis: Public land.
Where can Massachusetts build more housing? How about publicly owned land?
Ask people why we don’t build more housing in Greater Boston, and some will say there just isn’t enough land here anymore. As the region has grown, the developable land in Boston and its surrounding cities and suburbs has been snatched up and built out, which makes solving a housing crisis that demands building thousands of new homes a tricky prospect.
Public Land Could Generate 85K New Homes, Report Says
Public property dispositions are a missed opportunity to ramp up housing production in Massachusetts amid the downturn in multifamily construction, according to a new report. The Boston Foundation’s 2024 Greater Boston Housing Report Card estimates that 85,000 housing units could be created if just 5 percent of vacant public parcels were developed.
Louisville committee votes to move forward new tool to combat gentrification
The Louisville Metro Council passed an Anti-Displacement Ordinance in 2023 to combat gentrification, including a tool to assess whether a developer’s project could displace residents. While it has taken longer than expected to finalize the tool, the Planning and Zoning Committee put it to a vote Tuesday.
Anti-gentrification tool moves closer to final approval in Metro Louisville
A new “anti-displacement assessment tool” that could help Metro Council members gauge how large developments might harm nearby residents is moving closer to final approval. The Louisville Metro Council’s Planning and Zoning Commission gave the tool approval Tuesday, one year after the council approved the ordinance that created the tool. Since then, it has been in development by researchers at several universities and Metro government.
Despite reform efforts, inventory and price pressures continue to drag on housing market, 2024 Housing Report Card finds
Greater Boston’s well-publicized housing challenges continue, even as communities work to change zoning rules to comply with the state’s new MBTA Communities requirements, according to the 2024 Greater Boston Housing Report Card. The Report Card, released today at the Boston Foundation, notes that a lack of new construction, high interest rates, and changing demographics continue to slow sales and increase costs. However, the report sees promise in new policy initiatives. In a special section authored by a team from the Boston University Initiative on Cities, the report highlights the opportunity presented by freeing up publicly owned, vacant or underused land for affordable development – and the obstacles that are keeping it from happening.
Public land could unlock 85K new homes in Greater Boston, report says
In some Massachusetts communities, the local government is one of the biggest property owners. That land could be key to reducing strain on the region’s housing supply.
Public land could unlock 85K new homes in Greater Boston, report says
In some Massachusetts communities, the local government is one of the biggest property owners. That land could be key to reducing strain on the region’s housing supply, according to a new report from the Boston Foundation.
Urban H: Housing, Heat and Health
In 2023, heat records were broken on all continents and the world saw the highest global temperatures in over 100,000 years. With buildings and roads retaining heat and creating urban heat islands, warmer cities have not only become increasingly uncomfortable but are also posing health risks such as heat exhaustion and respiratory disorders to their inhabitants. In the US, the 175 largest cities–which account for 65 percent of the total population–have seen a disproportionate number of heat-related deaths in the past 15 years.